Shards of Our Memories
by ForteXD
Summary: -complete- The day that Inuyasha arrived on the set of "Shards of Our Memories," Kagome anticipated trouble. And trouble is what she got- in more ways than one. It seems as if real life is more heart-wrenching than her soap opera script!
1. Chapter 1: These Days of Our Lives

**SUMMARY**: AU-IY/K M/S Inuyasha's an actor with a dark past. Kagome is the breakout star in a popular new soap opera. Lucky circumstances draw these two together, but can they get over their bickering long enough to realize how much they need each other?

**DISCLAIMER**: ::wishes:: ::hopes:: ::pleads:: but still no Inuyasha has come to her....

**A/N**: Hey, everyone! New story here! I loved this idea the moment I thought of it, and I've been having tons of fun writing. My friends seemed to like it, so I figured I should let the fan community enjoy it as well. The first chapter is still a bit shaky, but I'll be revising the entire fic once I get the time. Please let me know what you think!

**"Shards of Our Memories"**

**CHAPTER 1: These Days of Our Lives**

"OK....Miss...Higurashi, is it? You've been through this process before- correct? Well, very good then, let's get started. Why don't you take your place on that X right there...yes, the duct tape one...right....hold on....alright, we've got you. Hold that." There was a moment of scuffling and the sound of shifting metal.

"Here we go. Take One- Audition- Kagome and Isumu. Scene 5. Pilot. ACTION!"

Kagome, after smiling politely and trying to follow the casting director's orders in the swiftest and most professional way possible, turned her cheek to the camera, calmed her bouncing nerves and put on her game face. A face that Maya Dupri, the beauty of "_Shards of Our Memories" _would definitely wear. Her dark eyes widened, her round mouth pouted sensuously, and her lashes fluttered in distress.

"Oh! Damien! You _can't_ leave me!" She was proud of that voice, perfected after countless failed auditions, and hours of practice with her agent in his cramped office. Her tuned voice shook with sweet emotion.

Faking a shuddering sob, she crossed to fling her slender form at her audition partner. "Damien!" Again, proud of the voice....Her face was muffled in his weak chest. She was aware almost immediately that this guy had no acting prowess whatsoever, as he struggled to act natural under her grasp.

She tried to play over his lack of understanding of the scene, by digging her fingers into his shirt, tearing up the space around her with the dramatic phrases. "We've...." _Dramatic pause.._ "we've only just met yesterday...but- yet- I feel as if we're soul mates...we're compatible hearts, pierced on one thread, pulled together by fate!" Lavishing the boy in front of her with affection, she lifted her lashes slowly and demurely to meet his eyes, her Maya Dupri face shining to its maximum. With a deep breath, she began to pull in closer for the kiss...

Two inches...one inch....half...ready....

"CUT!"

Kagome froze. _Dang. I must have really bombed this if we can't even take it to the kiss. _She quickly replaced her Maya Dupri face with one that attempted not to have "failure" branded on her forehead. Hiten Raiken, the casting director, was standing next to the camera, looking somewhat mollified.

"Kagome!" She tried to smile and waited for the note of dismissal. "Kagome, that was fantastic!" Her face broke into beams. "But you-"he turned to face her audition partner. He was standing stark still, his sandy hair flattened against his head in an awkward way, and his face pasted with a nervous blush.

"Er...You....Hoho, was it?"

"No...ah, it's Isumu _Hojo, _sir..."

"Ah, Hobo...let's retake this, but, for God's sake, don't freeze up. You're a soap opera hunk..." He clenched his wiry fingers in an act to personify the hunkiness of the character. "Damien is a god embodied in....well, the body of a male masseuse. Feel it! Alright..take two....ACTION!"

Kagome took her place again, glancing at Hojo, who was struggling with no success to strike a sexy pose. If it hadn't been her chance to make it big that he was obstructing, she might have found this funny. He looked rather like a Cabbage Patch doll, his round face puffed in frustration, his arms hanging loosely at his sides.

As the scene commenced, Kagome sobbed out her lines. She tried again to materialize some kind of chemistry with her leading man, wrapping her arms around his bony waist, and tried to ignore the stiffening of his body. _Really....where do they _find _these actors? _She felt as if she were acting against a brick wall, and hoped that his lack of skills didn't affect her chance of getting the part. He spit out his line about his wife standing in the way of their fated love. From across the room, there was an audible sound of consternation from Hiten Raiken.

When the casting director finally told the cameraman to stop rolling, Kagome was looking forward to putting her face into a pillow and perhaps screaming very loudly.

"Hojo, Kagome- I think we're done for the day. That was....very good." His face sure didn't look as if it had been very good. "But, we'll be sure to.....get back to you." He nodded sharply, and moved to walk them out.

The two actors moved to the rows of seats, picked up their belongings, and made their way to the door.

_Another failed audition...maybe he tells all the girls that they're fantastic....I guess I'll have to go to his office and let him know all our work has gone to waste .He must be waiting for me right now...._Kagome slipped an arm into her jacket. _Maybe I should just give up on these damn auditions. I guess I'm not what they're looking for..._Kagome sighed to herself, and began to let herself out.

"Wait! Kagome!"

She swung around, and saw Hiten standing before her, his dark hair plastered into a long braid, and his eyes flashing over the rims of his glasses.

"Do you...think that 'Maya Dupri' is a good name....?"

Kagome stared at him for a second. "I....well....sure, it's a good soap opera name..."

"Well, then.....how would you like to be Miss Dupri?"

"_BE _Maya Dupri!? You mean...I..."

"You did beautifully on your audition; I couldn't have imagined a better embodiment of our leading lady!"

Kagome had wrapped him in a tight hug within seconds, her apprehension and surprise spilling out into laughter. "Of course! Yes! I'll be Maya Dupri! I can't believe this..."

He looked very glad that she was excited. He adjusted his glasses, and winked at her. "I'm sure you'll be glad to know Mr. Hojo will _not _be playing Damien Court...but, we would like to audition some more actors for the part, preferably tomorrow.....If you could be here tomorrow at...say...four pm sharp, that would be wonderful.."

"Of course! _Anytime _you need me...."

"Well then, it's settled. We'll find your godly leading man, Miss Higurashi!"

Her face had already broken into a wide grin, and she shook his hand almost violently as she turned to leave. "Thank you, Mr. Raiken! Thank you so much!"

Walking out the glass doors of the lobby, her feet felt lighter than ever before.....

_Just wait till I tell everyone.....Kagome Higurashi...Daytime Soap Star...._

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Kagome's Higurashi's agent sat, in his secondhand chair, behind his secondhand desk, turning his pen idly between thumb and forefinger. After a few minutes of this, he set the pen down, thought for a moment, and smoothed back his loose bangs.

He then commenced to drum his fingers impatiently on the scratched wood.

Without warning, the phone rang very loudly. Before the first ring was finished, he had dived across his desk for it, and had his mouth practically wrapped around the receiver.

"KAGOME! Is that you?!" he yelled.

A gentle and disapproving growl greeted him from the other end.

"Oh, Rin. It's just you...."

"Sorry to disappoint." Rin tsked lightly, though she understood her employer's apprehension over the girl's audition. Kagome was very talented, the light and center of their lives...it just seemed that the casting directors had yet to notice.

"Miroku! You scream loud enough to drill a hole in my eardrum! I'm _sure _Kagome will call as soon as she finds out."

Miroku ruffled his already-messy tangle of dark hair, and screwed up his face in boyish impatience. "I know...sorry..." he muttered sheepishly.

"This is unusual for you, Mr. Calm-and-Collected Agent!"

"I can't help but worry in this situation!"

He heard Rin's smile as she spoke to him. "Ah, yes....I've forgotten. The almighty practitioner of Buddhism and the martial arts can't sit still on audition days."

He grumbled amicably. "OK, OK...I'll try to calm down."

"That's all I ask."

"So why did you call in the first place?" He pushed the pen into motion again, watching it intently as it rolled up the desk and then back towards his outstretched finger.

"Ah...yes...would you _please _stop drumming on the desk? I can hear it from outside, and it's distracting me from my work."

Miroku huffed irritably and slammed the receiver back into its cradle. "That girl..."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Yes, mom....yes, I _won't _let these big-name producers take advantage of me...I'll make sure my contract...what? NO! Ma....mom! Why don't _you _come to the meeting when we draw up the contract, ok? Then you can't nag me about it anymore! OK....well, thanks. I'm excited about it to....I was sure I hadn't got the part, but Mr. Raiken...yes, yes....Hiten Raiken. Yeah, it's his real name...he's the same guy that did _Soul Sharing_...OK....MOM! I...really have to go...Miroku still hasn't heard...yes...yes....I know that.......BYE MOM!"

Kagome slammed her cell phone shut, cutting off her mother's voice. Her mom was the sweetest, most well-meaning and supportive mother a girl could have, but she had the annoying habit of harping on issues when it came to Kagome's future. She dropped the phone into her purse, and hurried onward to the drafty office building down the street....

Kagome slipped quietly into the office of Miroku Inoue, gently shutting the door behind her. The familiar smell of three-day-old coffee and stale air circulating through the vents greeted her nostrils, and it brought back all the work and practice Miroku had helped her through.....her all-in-one agent, mentor, coach, and friend.

Rin was staring at her expectantly, her eyebrows raised cutely and her lips poised in an encouraging smile. Kagome motioned for her to be quiet.

'_Did you get it?' _Rin mouthed. Kagome nodded, unable to contain her growing grin. As Rin wriggled in her seat, and clapped in joy, Kagome motioned towards the closed office door. Rin nodded quickly, and ushered her enthusiastically towards it. Inhaling deeply, Kagome straightened the strap of her bag on her shoulder. Glancing proudly, like she always did, at the engraved nameplate on Miroku's door, she turned the doorknob softly and stepped in.

"Rin! Call Kagome. She should know by _now _if she got that part! Yes! _You _call her....yes, it was part of your job description!" He hung up, and swiveled around in his chair to face the view of the twilight spreading over the tops of the buildings. This is where Kagome found him, and made note to remind him that he was not being very productive.

In two steps, she was directly behind him. Before she could even place her hands over his eyes, he had caught them tightly in his own. She looked down at him, impressed.

"Miroku! I guess you're too fast for me.....you never cease to amaze me with your senses..."

Miroku grinned slyly. "I saw you in the window's reflection!"

"Cheater!" He quickly pulled her arms down around his shoulders, playfully nuzzling her cheek against his. He chuckled as she pretended to wriggle away in disgust.

"Oh, Kagome Higurashi, won't you bear me a child?" He looked up at her with puppy dog eyes, trying to pout adorably.

She sniggered. "In your dreams, Miroku!"

He sighed, dejectedly. "I guess I'll have to ask Rin again, for the fourteenth time...."

"Only fourteen?" she muttered dryly. "Gaining a control on your perversion, eh?"

"Oh Kagome, you make my heart ache!"

"Nice try, Miroku!" She pulled away from his grasp, moving to plop herself on the chair in front of his desk. She settled back in the chair, putting on a serious face. Miroku followed suit. He suddenly grew apprehensive, and leaned forward as far as the desk would let him.

"So.....what did they say...?"

Kagome stayed silent for a moment, letting the tension draw out deliciously. Raising her eyebrows and parting her lips, she studied her nails over the bridge of her nose. "Now that I'm a big soap opera star, I think I'm going to need more luxuries, better publicity!"

He was grinning like a goofball, and then had picked her up and was dancing her around the room. "Kagome Higurashi! Soap Star! My girl- I always knew you were going to be a star, didn't I?" He laughed happily, and held her tighter.

Kagome's happiness welled up inside of her once again. Why, he seemed even more excited than her, and _she _was the one who would receive most of the paycheck! He held her at arms' length, and surveyed her rosy cheeks, tousled hair and bright eyes proudly.

"I hope this means you aren't getting a new agent?"

Kagome giggled. "Nah...I don't think I could stand those big-shots anyway!"

Miroku looked hurt, as he rolled his eyes dramatically. "Aren't _I _a big-shot?"

Kagome looked around at the frayed carpet, and the ratty couch in the corner. They both shared a laugh, as Kagome sat back down.

"I'll never forget my old friend Miroku!"

"You better not!"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The end of CHAPTER 1

**A/N: **Isn't Miroku the biggest dork you've ever met? And, sorry about the Hojo thing...I actually do like him as a character and plot device...it's just that he's so easy to make fun of ;)

All you IY/K fans may have noticed that our favorite hanyou isn't around just yet...But, just you wait. He's alive, don't worry, and he'll be arriving in within the next two chapters! I'm a romantic sap at heart, so this fic won't go unfinished without some loving for our favorite half-demon.

-Thanks for reading-

-ForteXD-


	2. Chapter 2: Kouga, the Bold and Beautiful

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha, unfortunately.

**A/N: **A new chapter for all of you who enjoyed the first! (And a very plot-centric one...)

Before this chapter, I just want to give thanks to my beautiful muses- Anna, Shan-chan and my dear Sara for their support in this fic and toleration of my Inuyasha-crazed freakishness. Also, thanks to **rubymermaid **and **lafeenoire **for their wonderful reviews!

Lastly, one note to all who are reading this- this is NOT, I repeat- NOT A KOUGA/KAGOME FIC!I'm just writing Kouga as I believe his character would act in these situations. However it might seem at some points, I am a die-hard InuKag fan, and nothing can ever come between them....ever. And that's final.

Now, shoo! Read!

**CHAPTER 2: Kouga, the Bold and the Beautiful**

Kagome arrived at the studio the next day, with a smile lighting her face. Knowing that this would soon be her workplace, she became excited all over again, and, if she hadn't been in public, she might have done her own little happy dance. She entered through the glass doors of the studio, already relishing the buzz of the inside corridors.

As she looked around, she saw that there were at least a hundred very well-dressed and good-looking guys spread out across the lobby. Some had their muscles flexed, chests pushed out, and their fingers hooked in their belt loops, trying to keep a constant sexy pose. There were others who were less showy, and relegated themselves to conversing politely with the opposition. And, to her amusement, she noticed a few who were trying to practice the romantic scene between Maya and Damien with each other, while _still _trying to look macho. Kagome giggled to herself, and hustled through the throng to get to the soundstage.

She didn't notice as most of the eyes followed her as she left, admiring her long legs and warm curves. The competition for winning the part of Damien suddenly grew more desperate....

As she entered the soundstage, she saw Hiten and his assistant seated in front of the stage, busy planning the details of the auditions. As she entered, Hiten raised his head slowly. With a warm and rather absent smile lighting the eyes behind his shining glasses, he leapt up to greet her.

"Ah, our beautiful Miss Higurashi. Please, please- take a seat over here..." He motioned to one of the foldout chairs beside his. "We're going to bring in some of these boys to try out for Damien.... Now, did you like the selection out there?"

He winked suggestively and nodded towards the bustling lobby. Kagome flushed and grinned. He studied her over the edge of his glasses for a moment, then snapped back sharply and turned to face his assistant.

"Souten! Why don't you call in our first Damien....."

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

It had been three painful, long hours of rigorous auditioning.

While Kagome had at first been eager to find a leading man, they weren't having much success. In fact, take that back. They hadn't had any success at all. Every prospective Damien she had pretended to fawn over and prance around with, had five times the muscle of Hojo, but sadly, had even less of his acting skills. After the umpteenth audition had concluded, and the strong-jawed actor had been ushered out, Kagome let out a rush of air and a groan, sitting gingerly on her metal chair. By this time, she had learned to hate Scene 3 of the pilot episode- along with the pungent smell of men's cologne- with every fiber of her being...

Hiten sighed with as much irritation as he could muster under his exhaustion. "Well, Kagome....it looks as if we've got a couple guys left...if we don't find him soon, I say we stop for today." Kagome prayed silently that they could find at least one decent actor among the horde, as she tried to massage the tension from her brow.

Hiten picked up the remaining audition forms and began to shuffle through the black-and-white headshots. "Well....why don't we try this guy? Anything is worth a shot at this point..." He slid one of the forms out, and moved tiredly to the lobby door.

Hiten was gone for a few seconds, and then returned with the next man.

Right away, Kagome noticed that there was something different about him.

It wasn't his looks- all of the other actors had been this handsome and muscled to a fault. Maybe it was the way he walked in as if he owned the show, his body swaggering in self-confidence. His long hair swung impudently from its ponytail and he flashed a deadly grin to the room itself as he walked in. Maybe it was that smile that did it. Maybe Kagome just needed to see someone with an ounce of personality.

Or perhaps it was the way that he had grasped Kagome's hands in his, before she even had time to register what he was doing. His warm hands enveloped hers in size, and his bright eyes locked with hers as he smirked casually. Yes, those hands were the reason he blew every other candidate out of the water...

"My woman, Kagome...."

He said it as a statement, as if there had been no room for question in the first place. Kagome raised her eyebrows a little as he stared down at her, but she couldn't help but blush as she felt his gaze and his fingers wrapped around hers.

She nodded slowly. "It's....nice to meet you," she breathed, caught up in the surprise of the moment.

He winked wolfishly at her, his sharp, perfectly white teeth practically sparkling in the stage lights. "The name's Kouga."

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Needless to say, Kouga was the perfect soap star. He practically oozed the sensuality and arrogance that Damien had been written to personify. As she performed her part in the scene, Kagome automatically felt the chemistry between them, or at least the ability to bounce the lines off each other correctly. And he impressed her immediately with his skilled delivery of the lines.

When Kagome rushed to bury herself in his broad chest just like she had in each previous audition, he actually took the initiative to wrap his strong arms around her waist, appealing to the camera in front of them. He delivered his lines to her with ease, his voice rumbling in her ears, and he lifted his fingers to run through her hair.

Now, Kagome was a practical and grounded girl, and she, under no circumstances, was about to fall for any guy immediately. But even she had difficulty not getting slightly flustered as Kouga petted her like this in front of a rolling camera and an audience of two watching them intently.

She pulled back to speak her line about fate pulling them together, but this time, she was acting against a responsive and experienced body. With all her effort, she worked to measure up to his acting prowess. Slowly, Kagome looked up to see his bronzed face fixated on hers, felt his hot breath on her lips. Before her line had completely escaped her lips, his mouth was on hers, fingers pressing against her lower back.

Kagome felt a shock of surprise, and tried to gain her balance as she began to melt a little into his arms, her limbs feeling like putty. Surely none of the other men had kissed her like this. Of course, they had seemed too afraid to do so. But Kouga just went right at it, obviously fully enjoying his task.

As she fell a little into his chest by surprise, he deepened the kiss, even going as far as to gently press his tongue into hers. Just as Kagome was sure she couldn't hold her breath any longer and that she might go weak in the knees under any more attention, Kouga finally unlatched his lips from hers.

As he stepped away, she swayed a little, and, after a few moments, found the ability to open up her eyes. His blue-green eyes were flashing at her, amused, and he winked surreptitiously.

There were a few seconds of silence until Hiten began clapping wildly.

He was automatically at their sides, a hand placed on each of their shoulders. "Bravo, you two! I think it's safe to say that we've found our Damien Court."

Kouga's face split into a grin again, as he finally turned his eyes from Kagome. "Thank you very much, Mr. Raiken. I'm very happy to be working with Kakera studios....and with Kagome." He shot her another sidelong glance.

Hiten looked pleased, handing Souten Kouga's information and instructing her to dismiss the remaining few candidates. He then turned to Kagome and Kouga, and eyed them with a satisfied expression.

"Well, we're planning to begin filming of the pilot next week. Just as soon as we finish casting, we'll be able to do a reading with your cast mates, and then begin rehearsals."

Kouga nodded. negotiations...?"

"That will come in due time, after the pilot gets out and we get a response. We'll also have a meeting with the show's producer next week so we can get started on rehearsals as soon as possible."

He nodded to them, checking to make sure they had understood. "Any questions? Wonderful! We'll be sure to get in contact with you both very soon. Good work, you two. I'm sure we'll all get along splendidly."

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

The moment Kagome exited into the lobby, she found Kouga at her side.

She smiled warmly at him, and he took it as an invitation.

"You were very good in there, Kagome. I was wondering....if you'd like to go out for some drinks tonight?"

_Well, he just dives right in, doesn't he?-, _the loudly sardonic voice in her head retorted. But, she decided to let herself be flattered by the quick invitation. After all, it wasn't every day that you could brag about getting a kiss and being asked out by a handsome actor all in a day's work.

"Thanks, Kouga. You were wonderful, also. But, my agent and his assistant already promised to treat me to dinner in celebration of my getting the part....Though....I guess you're welcome to come along...if you like...."

He nodded, and grinned widely. "I'd like that."

When the two exited the lobby, Miroku's shabby, 15-year-old sedan was pulling up to the front of the parking lot. Well, more like heaving and clunking onto the asphalt. Kagome had always felt a little embarrassment for her agent at the bucket of junk he drove around. Miroku had always joked about his old "Bertha," who had stood by him like an old friend...but it looked as if Bertha would gladly wheeze and fall dead onto the pavement if she was driven once more. As Kagome lead a slightly bewildered Kouga to the purple car, she made a mental note to help Miroku save up for a car that he deserved, once she started getting paychecks.

As she pried open the back door of the car, she greeted her two friends with a genuine smile.

"Be careful with that," Miroku laughed, from the driver's seat. "It just might pop off if you're not gentle."

"Yeah, I'm treating the old baby with care. Hey, you guys don't mind if Kouga joins us for dinner?" They both nodded their approval, and Kagome and Kouga piled into the backseat, cramming their legs into the tight space.

Kouga reached over the duct-taped seat to shake Miroku's hand, giving the dark-haired agent a suave grin. "Kouga Murane. Nice to meet you."

"Miroku Inoue. I'm Kagome's agent and bodyguard."

Rin chuckled. "Bodyguard? You, lightweight?"

"Lightweight? See if I ever protect _you _from bodily harm!" he grumbled back, his face twisted stubbornly as he gently shifted the car's gears into Drive.

"And that's Rin, his assistant," Kagome said, rolling her eyes at their bickering.

"Kouga was just cast as Damien!" she announced. Miroku, normally very protective against any man who was within ten feet of Kagome, still managed to look impressed. As he tried to get another glimpse of Kouga through the rearview mirror, Rin flipped around in her seat to start up a conversation with the actor.

"So, Kouga," she began, smiling cheerfully. "How long have you been acting?"

He preened his dark brown hair and huffed thoughtfully. "About ten years now....I've been doing musical theater, mostly...a couple of other soaps....but I think I've found my niche here at Kakera Studios...." He buckled his seatbelt carefully.

"You must have done a lot before this, Kagome, judging by your audition," he observed, turning towards the black-haired girl beside him.

"Ahh...no....no, actually, this is my first major role." Kagome blushed, admitting her inexperience. Kouga looked taken aback, though quite impressed.

"I did a Wacdnald's commercial before this, and a couple of chorus roles in some stage productions.....I mostly get turned away from parts like this, because I'm too young, or too inexperienced, I guess....or maybe I just don't look like a soap star....."

"Well, I think you're beautiful...." He smiled brilliantly at her, and she wasn't quite sure how to respond except with a smile. _Well, he's certainly quite the charmer._

Miroku grumbled a little from the front seat, but said nothing.

"I wouldn't have gotten where I am without Miroku's help, though..."

The grumbling mysteriously stopped.

As the car rolled on forward down the city streets that were bustling with nightlife, Kagome relaxed in to her seat, the realization hitting her once again- her dreams were becoming a reality....

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Kagome didn't wake up until very late on Saturday morning, her brain having shut down after a week of stressing over auditions. It felt very nice to be able to lie comfortably and not worry about whether or not her next unsuccessful round of auditioning would result in her flipping burgers for the rest of her so-called acting career. She stretched luxuriously across the silky sheets of her bed, resting against the pile of soft pillows, and sighing softly.

As she glanced lazily at the telephone on her nightstand, she realized that she had slept through a message on her answering machine. _Wow, I guess I was conked out worse than usual..,that phone practically screams bloody murder when it rings..- _ Still rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she rolled over, untangling her feet from the covers. After the monotone voice of her machine pierced her eardrums, the message play out into the quiet of her bedroom.

"Kagome! It's Kouga! I was calling to make sure you got home safe last night....soooo, call me if you get the chance......bye!"

Kagome pressed the 'erase' button and smiled wryly as she sighed. Of course she had gotten home safe...Kouga had been in the car when Miroku had dropped her off. In fact, he had insisted on walking her to her apartment door.

Not to say that she hadn't thoroughly enjoyed herself the night before... Rin and Miroku had always been a blast to hang out with, with their silly stories and childish fights. Kouga got along well with her friends, though his over-confident and arrogant nature hadn't quite fit into the easy surroundings of the musty café, or close bonds of the old friends. Nevertheless, Kagome was felt flattered that he was so interested in her well-being

_He certainly is persistent_. She grinned to herself, recalling how he had plainly tried to squeeze as close as possible to her in the spacious booth. _At least he's a competent actor._..

She decidedly pushed Kouga to the back of her mind for the moment, as she soon became entranced with the promise of a nice, hot breakfast. Food was necessary in order make her coherent. She stepped out of bed, pulling a thick sweatshirt over her mass of matted dark hair, and then she shuffled out to her cramped kitchen, her bare feet slapping against the cold tile.

Moving expertly around the tiny kitchen, she pulled the styrofoam carton of eggs from the refrigerator, plunked a small skillet on the creaky stove, and then dove head-first into the sink cabinet to find the elusive spatula. As she felt for the pile of assorted cooking utensils in the back of the cabinet, the phone rang out shrilly. Grumbling a little, she reached out to hit the 'speakerphone' button.

Her head buried in the cabinet, she yelled out a muffled greeting to the caller. "HELLO!?"

There was a brief moment of dead air, as the person on the other end paused in a very confused silence. "...Miss Higurashi...?" A deep, cool voice spoke her name succinctly, practiced. She didn't recognize the voice, though he sounded much more important than her usual callers.

Trying to move out of the cabinet quickly, she accidentally smacked the side of her head on the underside of the counter. Groaning, she rubbed her temple fiercely, and tried to prevent the string of cuss words from alarming her important caller. "Yeah!...I mean...err...Kagome Higurashi speaking!"

The man cleared his throat. "Ah...Miss Higurashi, this is Sesshomaru Tanaka. I'm the head producer at Kakera Studios....Is this a bad time?"

Kagome cursed herself for her clumsiness, as she fought the numbing pain in her head. "No...no....It's just fine, Mr. Tanaka..."

"Very well, then. I was just calling to congratulate you on becoming our Maya Dupri!"

"Thanks...thank you very much, Mr. Tanaka. Everyone at Kakera Studios has been very kind..."

"I'm pleased." He didn't exactly radiate pleasantness, as he sped through to the next topic, leaving Kagome's already-spinning head....well, spinning even faster. "More importantly, on Monday at 2 pm there is a scheduled meeting between the cast members, Mr. Raiken, who will be in charge of direction, and I, so that you may become acquainted with the script and our filming schedule. We'll begin script read-throughs as soon as possible, and rehearsals will begin on Wednesday. We hope to start filming by Saturday."

Kagome hurriedly scribbled the information on the back of the envelope from the phone company, trying to follow his quick, precise words. "Monday at 2...? Of course, yes....whenever you need me! Anything else?"

"No, that will suffice. Thank you very much for your time, Miss Higurashi. We'll be looking forward to seeing you on Monday."

"Thank you..."

Sesshomaru Tanaka swiftly ended the call with a click, leaving Kagome standing alone in her kitchen, spatula in hand, chastising herself for being so unrefined with her new producer. Hopefully they wouldn't fire her for her lack of phone skills....

Shaking off the heavy thought, she sighed and cracked an egg onto the hot, flat skillet. She watched it spread out and sizzle delectably as the yellow and white liquid began to bubble and solidify. Leaning forward on her elbows, she watched the frying egg, her mouth beginning to water, her brain beginning to stir into motion.

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

"So...he called you at home...!?" Rin picked up the shirt, holding it against Kagome to see if it matched her hair and eye color.

"...Who....?"

"Sesshomaru Tanaka! Kakera Studios...your _producer_?! Unless there was someone _else _that called you yesterday?" She snatched the shirt back, incredulously, fixing Kagome with a stare of mock disapproval.

Kagome began pushing the hangers along the metal rack, sampling the textures of the cloths with her fingers. "Well, Kouga left a message this morning, but...."

"Kouga?" Rin burst in. "Man, is he in love with you or what? Calling after he saw you less than twelve hours ago!"

"Rin!" Kagome protested, feeling a little embarrassed. "We just met for the first time two days ago!"

"So? He certainly seems very interested in you!"

"He was just calling to make sure I was OK!"

"Excuses!" Rin clucked, grinning. "Of _course _you were OK! He was with you all the way to your doorstep. And, if I do say so myself, he would have gladly gone _past _that doorstep if you had invited him!" She raised her eyebrows suggestively.

"Kagome has a dashing soap opera lover!" she sang loudly, watching Kagome roll her eyes in defiance of the idea. Unfortunately, Rin caught the ears and eyes of many of the shoppers in the store, making Kagome wish that hell would choose this moment to crack open under her friend's feet. Perhaps that would shut her up...

Rin laughed as Kagome shot her a searing glare. "OK, I was just teasing.....but.. how do youfeel about Kouga, anyway?"

Thinking over Kouga again, Kagome's face softened. "I don't know...I've only just met him, but I guess I just don't have those kinds of feelings for him....I'm sure he's just as nice to all the girls he meets, anyway......He's very respectful, very nice...." She drifted off, thoughtfully.

Rin couldn't resist jabbing Kagome in the side with her elbow. "....Very nice _kisser_...?"

Kagome turned beet red in mention of the forgotten kiss. "NO! I mean...yes.....I mean.....SHUT UP!" Kagome had clearly lost the battle of wits.

Rin laughed, patting Kagome on the back. "Sorry, hon......you're just way too fun to tease!" She turned back to the rows of clothing, chuckling, leaving Kagome to fight off her blush and ignore the stares from the other women in the clothing department.

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Kagome arrived at the parking lot of the studio at 2 pm on Monday in a panicked state, hoping that they hadn't started the meeting without her. Her stomach was a jumble of nerves, dread and excitement. After all, her career as a TV actress, however short or successful it would be, started today. An official meeting with big-name producers....famous actors and actresses....it took some pinching to remind herself that she was still awake, and that the previous week hadn't been a result of elaborate hallucination.

She fluffed her hair nervously in the reflection in the glass doors of the building. As she entered, the receptionist looked up from her work, greeting her with a smile on her painted red lips. "Hello, Kagome. They'll be in the board room right now....you're right on time..." The door next to the receptionist's desk unlocked with a buzz and a click. After motioning for Kagome to go through the door, the woman returned to her work.

Kagome pored her eyes over the warm-colored interior of the hallway as she made her way quickly to the double doors at the end of the hall. She hesitantly pushed one of the doors open, hoping not to interrupt any important discussion.

Right away, she was taken aback by what she saw.

Although the room was furnished with high-backed chairs and a long, mahogany board table, the attendees were acting anything but formal. Hiten and Souten were sitting at one end, forms and loose papers strewn around them. Several half-empty cups of coffee were sitting around the edges, along with a box of donuts and a smattering of napkins and paper plates. Sesshomaru Tanaka had not even arrived yet, and there were only five other people seated at the table- Kouga, and four women.

The woman sitting directly across from Kouga was leggy and wiry, long red hair curling around her face, with green eyes flashing excitedly. Beside her, there was a woman with piercing, dark eyes, almost reddish in appearance. Her full lips pouted in continuous sensuality, and her face was curved gracefully. She was curled up in her chair with a bored look on her face, using a stray piece of paper, which she had folded up delicately, as a makeshift fan.

She was seated beside a younger girl who looked no older than sixteen. The girl was the exact opposite of the dark-eyed woman, and pretty in an innocent kind of way. Her hair and skin were as pale as pale could be, her features glassy and emotionless. Kagome moved quickly to introduce herself to her new colleagues with an amiable smile lighting her face. One by one she shook their hands, learning their names in turn- Ayame, Kagura, and Kanna. The first shook her hand warmly, the second, brushed her off with a nonchalant wave, and the third held her hand lightly, but did not return the smile.

Not to be discouraged by the other actresses, Kagome moved to meet the fourth woman at the farthest end of the table, who was currently focused intently on her laptop, her skilled fingers flying with ease along the keyboard. She was far older than the rest of the people at the board table, but still looked spry and sturdy, with the shine of youth in her dark eyes. She extended her weathered hand to Kagome, a broad smile on her face. "Kaede Minamoru. I'm the head writer for the show."

Kagome nodded to her pleasantly as she carefully took a seat next to Kouga. She returned his smile with a bright one of her own as they greeted each other, though she found it difficult to meet his eyes without remembering her conversation with Rin from the day before.

Before the hesitant silence in the room could even come close to being uncomfortable, the door had swung open, and an imposing figure moved through the doorway, followed close behind by an assistant.

Even without hearing him speak, Kagome knew this was Sesshomaru Tanaka. He was tall and lanky with long limbs, though he moved gracefully in his starched suit. He had long, flowing locks of silver that hung down his back. His facial features, though, were the most stunning thing about him. They were sculpted smoothly like a figure of Michelangelo's, but they were focused and stern with the sharpness of a shrewd businessman.

As Sesshomaru placed his briefcase on the table, all of the eyes in the room were fixed on him, waiting for the word that would begin the meeting. He pulled a neat stack of papers from his briefcase, barely giving his waiting audience a glance. Slowly and deliberately, he cleared his throat, settling his elbows on the table.

"I assume you all have met one another?" he inquired. The room nodded in unison.

Kagura spoke up quickly, her voice cutting the silence with its rich texture. "Is _this_ the entire cast? When I agreed to this, I was under the impression that this show was going to be bigger...." She asked the question almost defiantly, implying that she had far better opportunities lined up.

Sesshomaru's assistant shifted in his seat, huffing at her tone. The assistant was dressed in a faded brown suit. His skin was pasty and pock-marked and had an almost greenish tint to it. As he shot Kagura a sniveling glare, his skin pulled tightly over his sallow face and beaked mouth.

Kagome had been slightly taken aback by Kagura's attitude, wondering if the deadly-looking producer might take the initiative to gut an actress out in the middle of a board room. But, Sesshomaru didn't respond to his assistant's actions, and completely ignored Kagura's tone.

"No....this is not the entire cast.." he replied, stonily. He leaned back in his chair, the tips of his fingers pressed to one another. "Our story is meant to focus on a key event between two people, and as the effects of their decisions spread, the number of people involved will also grow." Kagome, as enthusiastic as she was about the project, had never expected a soap opera summed up in such simple, even noble terms.

"But, I am not as familiar as some, with the key ideas of the plot. We have our head writer here, and I'm sure she would like to brief you on the basic plot outline." He nodded solemnly to Kaede, giving her the floor.

Kaede took her time in removing her rimmed glasses, and finishing off her last sentence on the keyboard. With a delighted grin, she shut her laptop, and turned to face the cast members. "Well, it certainly seems as if Hiten and Souten have done an accurate job casting everyone....We have quite a wild plot prepared for this show, and it may require some tough actors, but I trust that you all will be able to handle it." She gave them all a wink. "Now, as Sesshomaru has already mentioned, we'll need more cast members as the story gets more complicated."

As Kaede mentioned the story, she motioned for Souten to pass out the thick scripts to the actors. Kagome received hers excitedly, her hands relishing the weight of the smooth pages. She fingered the front of it, lovingly, looking at the typed title: "Shards of Our Memories," with pride. As she opened to the second page, she read her name in the cast list, along with the others in the room.

_Kagome Higurashi.............................Maya Dupri_

_Kouga Murane...............................Damien Court_

_Ayame Kogoro.................................. Jessie Court_

_Kagura Ayatachi............................Jillian Prescott_

_Kanna Tegura..................................Lila Prescott _

Kagome noticed Ayame chuckling softly to herself as she read the cast list to herself. "So," she laughed, "Is Kouga going to get _all _the women in the cast? I didn't know this was a harem...He's the only guy here...."

Kaede smiled wryly, as Kouga looked more than slightly pleased at his position. "Don't worry, there will certainly be more boys. Any good soap opera cannot function without it's handsome men.....but, for the pilot episode, we'll be focusing on the origins of the relationship between Maya and Damien, and the betrayal of your character, Ayame," she explained.

Hiten glanced at his copy of the script appreciatively, his face shining with excitement. Kagome was sure it was possible to see the screws turning in his brain. "Well, it seems as if the best way to get you acquainted with the episode would be to start our read-through. If you would all open to the third page of the script, we can begin...." The cast responded accordingly, folding their scripts back to reveal the opening lines of the first scene.

Kagome realized, with a rush of adrenaline, that hers was the first line of the episode....smoothing back her hair and clearing her throat, she took a deep breath...then began the reading with her clear and practiced voice, hoping that she lived up to the role Mr. Raiken had cast her in.

"Damien...I love you more than words can say....."

As the words came out as she had hoped they would, she relaxed further into her seat, waiting for Kouga to speak his lines to her. The happy blush settled on her cheeks, Kagome soon fell into rhythm of the scene.

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

**A/N: **Silly Sesshomaru. I don't care if you're a producer! There's no need for that deadpan "I'll-kill-you-if-you-get-in-my-way" attitude in the middle of a soap opera! (Oh well, what can I say....he's not really a smiley man......No matter how hard Rin may try

Have no fear- Inuyasha is here!....errr....well, he's in the next chapter. Some questions just may be answered for you....such as, where is our hanyou in all of this? What will Sango's role be? What is the meaning of life? (OK, just maybe I won't have an answer to that one....)

Review?......please?.......thank you.

-ForteXD -


	3. Chapter 3: He's Young and Restless!

DISCLAIMER: See, I'm trying to find one of those magical cupboards that turn plastic figures into life (you know, like "Indian in the Cupboard"?) Then I'll buy the new Inuyasha Toynami action figure and work my magic. Until that day, I don't own him. 

**A/N: **So, you enjoyed chapter 2 and its wolf-y goodness? I did too. But, this new chapter has been the most fun to write. For one, Inuyasha is finally here (:;throws confetti ::) and Sango too!

Thanks for your reviews- they're so positive:

**Smiley: **LOL, I do consider it an honor for you to be writing me a review. I'm like you- I only review when it's a fic I'm really crazy about. So it definitely means a lot to me.

**IYWritergirl: **Your guess was correct! ; )

Well, here goes:

CHAPTER 3: He's Young and Restless! 

I suppose that when you're a seasoned actor, you take things for granted. The fact

that you get paid to put on another persona is part of your life. You learn to let your filming schedules melt into your daily routine, and they also become a part of you. A script is like your grocery list, so mundane that you forget that sometimes your writers had sweated out blood in order to make it to deadline. And, among the whirl of wrap-up parties and free drinks and obsessive fans, it's easy to forget how to live a simple life.

It's easy to forget how fast one little moment can cause your whole created life to spin off in to nothing, and leave you with the feeling that all those parties, all those fans, mean nothing next to what real life and off-screen emotion can bring.

Inuyasha Tanaka, over his many years in the business, had learned these lessons. And, he felt glad to be out of the spotlight, remembering what trouble it had bought him. Simple was better. Maybe even being alone was best, so you could learn all those lessons before testing them out on real people...

...Yes, alone seemed to suit him better...

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Kagome, on the other hand, was anything but a seasoned actor. She had the filming schedules, the script and the studio, but she had not yet forgotten how quickly she had risen to her position. Her mind still nagged her about the fact that her world could topple at any moment, even before the pilot episode had aired.

And, while listening to her mind nag, she also was noticing how fast Souten moved and how quickly she spoke. The small, dark-haired girl was currently giving Kagome a tour of the guts of the studio, to make her feel better acquainted before filming of the pilot episode began.

The halls beside the soundstage were knotted with thick wires that ran around the corners, bringing energy and power to the heavy cameras, microphones and overhead lights. There were many doors down the hall serving as dressing rooms for the main cast. Kagome's stomach jumped a little as she read her name printed in thick, black letters on the door nearest to them. As she entered, she was in awe of the spaciousness of the dressing room. The walls were lined with wide mirrors and vanity lights. There were two small stools and a director's chair placed in front of the mirrors, a couch, a closet, and even her own refrigerator.

"Wow......this is better than my apartment...." She breathed, taking in the deep, rich blue of the carpet and the salmon color of the plump couch.

Souten smiled quietly. "I'm glad you like it." She looked on as Kagome entertained herself with switching the vanity lights on and off, and running her fingers along the smooth counter. "Your makeup and hair artist should be here any time." Kagome nodded, and thanked her, and Souten left to prepare for filming.

Kagome sat on the pink couch, sighing in contentment in the air-conditioned room. As she settled in to the comfortable material, there came a soft knock at the door.

"Come in!" she called, sitting up straight in her seat, and smoothing back her shirt.

As the door opened, Kagome saw a woman about her age standing in the hall. She had long, deep brown hair that was pulled into a high ponytail, and a pleasant expression on her rounded face. Making sure she hadn't interrupted Kagome, she smiled sweetly and stepped in. Kagome returned her bright smile and she leapt up to shake the girl's hand.

"Kagome, right?" the girl had a light, feminine voice, a mix of politeness and underlying strength. "My name is Sango. I'm your makeup and hair artist!"

"It's very nice to meet you, Sango." Kagome immediately liked Sango's open smile and her dark eyes that radiated a sense of kindness and humor.

They stood for a moment, hand in hand, assessing one another, until Sango finally spoke. "Well, if you'd like to get started, you can sit over here...." She gestured to the chair in front of the vanity.

"Oh, of course...." As Kagome took her seat at the vanity, Sango opened her large makeup case, setting out various tubes and bottles along with hair instruments. "I'll just have to warn you that this is the first time I've been on a studio set like this for longer than one audition....I'm still positive that this is one elaborate prank that some very heartless person decided to play on me..."

Sango giggled, seeing Kagome's wry smile in the mirror. "I'm sure you're a wonderful actress...."

"I'm glad you think so!"

"....Anyway, Sesshomaru Tanaka doesn't really seem the one for practical jokes, does he?" Sango began rolling Kagome's thick, black hair into large curlers, her thin fingers moving deftly up the actress's scalp.

"I guess you're right," Kagome laughed. "I just hope that the filming goes smoothly today. Everyone in the cast has been pretty nice to me, though they can be somewhat......I don't know..."

"....Arrogant?...Spacy?"

Kagome laughed. "I see you've met Kouga......and Kanna."

Sango chuckled. "Yes, I have. Both of them. That Kouga is quite a character."

"....Isn't he, though!"

"Well, I'm sure you'll do just fine today, Kagome. Slip-ups are bound to happen, but you seem competent enough to handle them."

"You seem very confident in my acting ability without having ever seen me act!"

"Well, I trust in Hiten's ability to cast.....not only that, you seem like a very genuine person.."

Kagome smiled shyly. "That's very nice of you to say."

Sango grinned at Kagome, meeting her eyes in the mirror's reflection. "Anytime..." She swiftly pinned Kagome's rolled hair against her head, with smooth fingers.

"Now, it's time to apply your makeup while these are setting..." she laid out a row of tools, and, before Kagome could even survey the assortment, Sango had begun to work....

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

For Inuyasha, today seemed like it was starting out beautifully. It was normal, by mid-morning, to have received at least twenty calls from solicitors who were hoping to get his support, his opinion, his money, or all of the above. But, today had started off smoothly. Not one unwanted call yet, and it was almost 11 am. Maybe his agent had finally gotten around to blocking his number from unknown callers like he had asked....Or maybe it was just his lucky day.

Rolling his joints until they cracked in various places, he began warming up for his normal morning workout. Being able to flex his hardened muscles against a punching bag always did wonders for his state of mind, usually relieving his thoughts of the nightmares he suffered. He grunted to himself, as he made a rush at the thick bag. Sidestepping quickly, he aimed a swift roundhouse kick at the punching bag, the instep of his foot hitting with a resounding smack. He sighed, pleased with himself, as he moved back and forth lightly on the balls of his feet.

He felt more energized than usual, as sweat rose on his forehead, and his temples pounded with blood. He darted in, landing a series of thudding punches against the leathery material.

And, as he stretched his muscles for the final blow against his opponent, all of the beauty and intrigue of the morning was smashed and fell piece-by-piece into oblivion.

Smashed by a lone ring in the silence of his makeshift dojo.

It was the damned phone. Ringing. Now asserting itself as the hell-spawn of Inuyasha's deepest loathing.

Not being able to contain his growing anger, Inuyasha couldn't prevent a string of the most vicious of words from escaping from between clenched teeth. He stalked straight to the phone, his entire body seething.

Yanking it out of the cradle, he screamed as menacingly as humanly possible into the phone. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?!"

"Good morning, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha had now remembered something that he hated even more than telephones- that voice.

"Didn't I fucking tell you to never call me here?!"

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Kagome breathed out, nervously, her hair pulled into a tight mass of curls, and her face painted in many layers of powders and creams. When she had first seen herself in the vanity mirror after Sango had finished, she had barely even recognized herself. Not only was her hair perfect and without a strand out of place, but her face was flawless. You couldn't even see the dust of freckles over the bridge of her nose, or the tiny blemish on her forehead. Sango was truly a miracle worker.

Currently, she was standing on the set of the sound stage, which contained a very realistic makeshift living room, complete with hardwood floor, fireplace and overstuffed chairs. Hiten was adjusting the lights and the camera to be able to frame Kagome nicely, as she tried to calm her nerves.

As she fidgeted in the bright light, Kouga stepped up behind her, touching the back of her arm lightly. She turned to face him, giving him a nervous smile.

"You look wonderful. Perfect for the part."

"Thank you, Kouga."

"So, do you think you're ready, Kagome?"

She nodded shakily. "I.....I hope so."

He threw his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a friendly hug. "Don't worry, we have time to make this shot perfect. You'll do just fine. You're a very good actress..."

She blinked, startled, as Hiten brought the lights up to full power. "So I've been told..."

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

As the actors and the technicians were preparing for filming to commence, a very ponderous Sesshomaru was poised at his desk. His brilliant mind was darting in circles as he worked to solve his problem. He hummed out lightly for a moment, trying to piece his plan together, before he pressed a button on the telephone that sat beside his elbow.

"Jaken!" He spoke into his phone, his voice clipped and commanding as if he were speaking to a dog. "Call the lawyer from the set. Tell him to come in here."

"Of course, Mister Sesshomaru! I'll make sure the scum gets in there right away!"

Sesshomaru hung up without so much as a 'thank you', leaving Jaken to do his bidding.

After a few minutes of stony silence within Sesshomaru's expansive office, the door opened, and in walked the (not-so-trustworthy) lawyer of Kakera Studios. With a slimy smile plastered on his face, he made a mock-bow to the producer behind the desk, his eyebrows flexing sinisterly across his forehead.

"You called for me, Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru turned to face his computer screen, not even taking the effort to look the man's way. "I need some assistance, Naraku."

"Assistance? With a legal matter?"

"Perhaps." Sesshomaru shifted in his chair, though he still did not turn to face the standing Naraku. "As '_Shards of Our Memories' _grows in popularity- as it will, because it is my show- it will be necessary to introduce more characters into the plot. I'm going to need another leading man...preferably someone that is high-profile and well-known so that we may draw more viewers..."

"....And stomp on the other daytime networks."

"Precisely."

"...You want me to find you another actor?" Naraku spoke the suggestion as if he was insulted by the idea.

"No, that is Hiten's job. Unless we come up with the solution right now, we may have to go through another audition process."

Naraku sat slowly in the chair opposite Sesshomaru, letting his dark, wavy hair fall across the back of the chair. "You need help with finding candidates?"

Sesshomaru tapped his fingers together, his face void of emotion besides the flash of his golden eyes. "I have many ideas." Naraku was a fool. Sesshomaru glared at the idea that he might ever stoop so low as to ask a coward lawyer for ideas on how to produce his own series.

"...Ideas....?" Naraku repeated, trying to coax a response out of the silent producer.

"There _are_ plenty of actors on other soap operas on lower networks who would most likely make the trade to work with Kakera Studios, that is a fact."

"....You don't want those actors?"

"I don't want another studio's waste, Naraku." Sesshomaru spoke condescendingly. "I want to make a move that nobody will suspect."

"And, that means you want a new star?"

"I want.....someone who's name everyone will recognize and who's series everyone will watch...."

Naraku frowned. "Then, you'd want someone like your brother....But, he's been out of the business for years...."

If you looked closely at that moment, it was possible to see a tiny bit of reluctance and hatred move the muscles of that marble face. It was tough to admit aloud, especially to someone like Naraku. "My brother would be ideal."

"But, he would never agree to do this, let alone help you out...." The Tanaka brothers had never had a strong bond between them, but in the past years, they hadn't even communicated as distant relatives might.

"I understand this. This is where you come in. I need to get him back in this studio. Inuyasha is simple-minded and unbelievably stubborn. He's lived like a hermit for almost three years now, and he won't come unless there is something forcing him to..."

Naraku's shrewd mind jumped into action, his beady eyes narrowed in thought. "...A contract..."

Sesshomaru nodded. "His contract that was signed before '_Soul Sharing' _began filming. I do not know the terms of the contract. After the accident happened, it was natural to let him do as he pleased. But, it's been long enough for those initial wounds to heal, for him to at least starting rebuilding his life. He still has more time indebted to Kakera Studios, and I want you, as our lawyer, to force him back."

"The contract explicitly stated that Inuyasha would work under you for six years."

"He only fulfilled three of those years. Can we get him back?"

Naraku smiled, almost evilly. "It is completely within our rights. The contract was never officially broken. Unless he wants to be brought to court over this, he'll have to fulfill the contract negotiations."

"You are positive?"

"Yes."

"Well, then. That is settled. I think it's time to give my dear brother a friendly call."

He picked up the receiver from his phone, and dialed with ease.

After a few long rings, a very angry Inuyasha was yelling in Sesshomaru's ear.

"Good morning, Inuyasha."

"Didn't I fucking tell you to never call me here?!"

Sesshomaru held the phone at arm's length from his ear for a brief moment, waiting for Inuyasha to calm down. Then, he placed the receiver to his ear once more, and continued on with resolve. "It's wonderful to hear your voice too, Brother," he returned sarcastically.

"Well I hope you know you've interrupted a wonderful day," Inuyasha growled, combatively. "Why the hell are you calling me, Sesshomaru?" He spit out the name, disgusted.

"I need you to help me with something."

"You need me to WHAT?!" Inuyasha spluttered. "You want me to help you?" He laughed humorlessly. "It's a little early in the morning for prank calls."

"I see you're still as thick-headed as ever, Brother." Inuyasha growled again at Sesshomaru's disdainful tone. "I am currently producing a new television series, and I need a big-name star for another lead. I am convinced that you are what we need."

Inuyasha snorted angrily. Hadn't anybody listened to him when he had plainly announced that he had quit? "Forget it, Sesshomaru! I'm not in that business anymore, so you can count me out!"

Sesshomaru sat forward in his chair, his eyes narrowing icily, and his voice losing the sarcastic edge. "Did I ever ask you if you _wanted _to help me? I'm not going to make this your choice, Inuyasha. And, I always get my way..."

"Fucking leave me alone, asshole! I'm not going to act in your stupid shows anymore, and I'm not going to play your mind games, so stop calling me!"

"What if you were forced by law to do so?"

"What are you planning to do, sic your minions on me? I'm sorry, but I don't follow....."

"You had a contract, Inuyasha."

"Correction: I _HAD _one, but it's void now!"

"I have a man sitting across from me who says it is not. I think you remember Naraku."

Inuyasha's blood boiled at the name. Naraku was a coward. He was filth. Sesshomaru only kept him as a strategic ally, and because he had such a crafty mind. "Naraku's there? I'll take him on any day!"

"It's a legal contract, Inuyasha. You signed it, and you agreed to it yourself. It was never broken, and any court of law would take our side."

"You would stoop so low as to battle me in court?" He huffed.

Sesshomaru glanced at the sharp-eyed lawyer across from him. "Naraku would."

Inuyasha's previously contented thoughts swam with new hatred for his arrogant brother. All he had asked for was to be left alone, and never have to enter the messy world of television again. "I think you're bluffing."

"I think you know I'm dead serious."

The younger brother remained silent for a moment, as he tried to come up with a new argument.

"It's not the time for me to be thinking about acting, Sesshomaru..."

"...She would have wanted you to do it, Inuyasha."

At those words, Inuyasha flinched, his hardened face suddenly breaking down just a little, old emotions rising up in his throat. "....How do you know what she would have wanted, shitface?" He croaked, but this time, it was a half-hearted response.

"You owe it to me, to her, to your fans...to yourself...to come back here."

Inuyasha closed his eyes tight. "But, I can't do it. I just.....can't...." he whispered.

Sesshomaru allowed his voice to soften slightly, knowing he was close to overstepping his bounds, but not wanting to seem inhuman. "I know it's difficult. But it's necessary in order to move on."

There was a bated silence on the other end.

"Why don't you just come visit the studio? We don't have to discuss this over the phone."

Inuyasha exhaled loudly, wondering why he was even letting Sesshomaru's tactics get to him. His brother was a salesman at heart, and Inuyasha knew all of his tricks. But, for some unexplainable reason, he decided to give in.

"I'll visit the studio. I don't promise you anything, you hear? Not one episode, not one promo! I'm just visiting."

"Just visiting," Sesshomaru intoned, reaffirming his decision. "The end of next week. We'll be in the middle of filming the third episode. I will see you then."

Inuyasha's face darkened in response, and, angry at himself for giving in, he hung up on his brother without another word.

Sesshomaru was an arrogant son-of-a-bitch.

But he always got his way......

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

**A/N: **So, what'd you think?

Is Inuyasha bitter and sad enough for you? (But for what reason....? In due time, my friends, in due time...) I don't know about you, but I wouldn't have wanted to be on the other end of that phone. Sesshomaru is a brave man (And Naraku is such a slimeball!)

And, enough waiting for all you IY/K lovers! If I were you and I was reading this story, I'd be mad at me for not introducing them sooner. But, I'm not you so I'm not mad at me. But you can be mad. Err....make any sense? Good. Well, you can rest assured that our favorite couple gets introduced to each other next chapter. (And, O boy, will the sparks fly for miles)....Tune in soon for "**Chapter 4: As the World Turns."**

Lastly, I was curious to know how many people are actually reading this fic. Here on , I have no way of knowing how many people like and/or read my story, because there's no hit count (for free, anyway). If you all could be real kind, and just type in the phrase "Inuyasha rox my sox" in the review box, even if you don't feel like putting in any other words...just so I know if I have any fans ; ).

I always appreciate full reviews, but just to know that people are reading my fic is good enough!

**-Thanks for reading-**

ForteXD-


	4. Chapter 4: As the World Turns

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha.

A/N: Hey everyone! New chapter for all you readers- and Inuyasha and Kagome are going to meet in this one, so prepare for some fireworks! Please read, review and, of course, enjoy.

CHAPTER 4: As the World Turns 

Excerpt from the October 14th Edition of _Soap Weekly_:

"_Every soap fan is in for some big thrills and surprises with the new drama, 'Shards of Our Memories,' from the folks over at Kakera Studios. The well-crafted soap stars hunky Kouga Murane and breakout star Kagome Higurashi. As the series began, viewers were enticed with a steamy forbidden romance between the lovers Maya Dupri(Higurashi) and Damien Court(Murane). The two meet at Damien's spa, where the beautiful Maya receives a massage from the handsome masseuse. It is love at first sight for the two...but there are complications in their relationship. Damien is a happily married man, with a beautiful wife (Jessie Court, played skillfully by Ayame Kogoro)._

"_Next Monday, on the third episode of everybody's favorite new soap, the hot couple is in for some big problems. Jessie, at first oblivious to their blooming relationship, sees Maya and her husband out on a date together. Suspicious of their actions, she hires a private investigator to uncover to truth. What will Damien and his new lover do? Can they be together despite the odds, or will this relationship end in pain? Tune in Monday at three to find your answer."_

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Kagome cut the edge of the page carefully, determined on cutting out the complimentary _Soap Weekly _article without damaging even one letter of it. She had read the article at least twenty times over, smiling proudly whenever she read the words "breakout star" beside her name. Her stomach had given a little flutter the first time she had glanced at the article, noticing the (very flattering) picture of her and Kouga, looking very dramatic and posing in the living-room set.

It wasn't every day that you had your picture in a nationally-circulated magazine... She gently folded the paper in half and stuck it in her purse, so that she could tape it to her dressing-room mirror.

She breathed in soundly. _It's always nice to have a reminder of your success within arms' reach, _she thought to herself, humming a little tune as she closed the door of her apartment behind her, ignoring the loud noises of the trash truck rising from the street, and the howling noises from the toddler across the hall.

Kagome walked jauntily to the bus stop, looking forward to another interesting day of work at the "office." Kagome had been very busy of late, trying to memorize her lines at a breakneck pace, make all the rehearsals, and still act and look like a soap star should. Hiten and Sesshomaru were busy with public relations, and had been lining the actors up for interviews on morning talk shows, organizing press junkets, and buying billboard space, magazine ads and commercial time on the network. Whatever got them viewers.....

Of late, it had been a blurred whirlwind of flash photography and screaming members of the press.

Not that she didn't enjoy the work. Spending time with Kouga and Ayame had taught her worlds about acting and delivery, and she was enjoying the limelight. Already, fans were popping up all over the place. She had been receiving so many positive comments about the first two episodes from her family and friends, that it almost felt surreal.

Life as a star was no less fantastic than Kagome had imagined.

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

The studio door was in heavy use that morning, delivery boys and actors, visitors and workers entering or leaving at every second.

As Kagome made her way up the concrete steps, she noticed a man with long, white hair entering the lobby ahead of her. For a brief moment, she made the assumption that it was Sesshomaru.

On second glance, she noticed the difference in this man's athletic swagger and bulkier limbs. Anyway, Sesshomaru wasn't one to walk around in a hooded sweatshirt and jeans....

As she moved towards the door, the man stopped to hold the door open, though he was barely even paying attention to the woman moving through the doorway. She smiled at the bred politeness, and grabbed his golden eyes with a quick "thank you."

Her heels echoed loudly in the tiled lobby as she disappeared into a crowd of loiterers at the other end of the room. She had already left him and his golden eyes behind, but those eyes remained narrowed in her wake, following her as she left. His face contorted slightly in pain and confusion as she walked off. After a moment of standing frozen with the door's handle still in his grip, he let the glass door shut, and walked dazedly to the hall connected to his brother's office.

Making his way slowly into Sesshomaru's expansive private office, his mind was spinning in circles. _For a moment, that girl....she reminded me of...No, it couldn't be..._Inuyasha shook his head wildly to erase the thought. _I should stop torturing myself over this...it was just my mind playing tricks on me... _Inuyasha comforted himself with the fact that he would never have to see the woman again.

As he entered, Sesshomaru chose to only send a small nod of recognition. The day Sesshomaru would rise to greet his brother would be the day that Jaken renounced Sesshomaru as the rightful supreme commander of the world and the most admirable and beautiful man ever created. In other words, it was something that could only be possible in another dimension.

Sesshomaru retained a bored look on his face as he turned to face the man in front of his desk. "Welcome, Brother. It's been a long time."

"Not long enough," Inuyasha growled under his breath. The carved glare that had disappeared upon his first look at Kagome, was now shadowing his face once more. He slumped into a chair, his handsome features clouded in resentment. "Can we make this quick?"

"Why?" Sesshomaru shot back, dryly. "Do you have more moping to do? Some urgent matters only an antisocial recluse could fathom?"

Inuyasha's face darkened even further. "I'm going to do your fucking show, so get off my back."

Sesshomaru chose not to respond, didn't even show that he was glad to have Inuyasha as his star. After he leisurely signed a few more papers on his desk, he spoke once more. "You'll be starting filming with the rest of the cast on Tuesday. Hiten will have back scripts for you to read, and he'll introduce you to everyone today. I, on the other hand, am far too busy to lead you around on a leash, so you can find your own way to the stage..." He turned back to the papers, making it plain as day that they were far more interesting than humoring his younger brother.

Inuyasha grunted, pulling himself out of the chair, and heading swiftly towards to door. "Don't worry, I'd rather not spend my time where I'm not wanted!" he shot back.

He turned the knob, swinging the door open violently. Sesshomaru's voice intoned deeply behind him. "You should move on, Inuyasha..."

Inuyasha's shoulder's tightened in a warning as he paused in the doorway. "...And you should shut your mouth!" He slammed the door, making the layer of frosted glass shake angrily.

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

"Guess what, Miroku?"

Rin was at it again.

"...What...?" Miroku didn't feel like guessing. He turned back to the letter he was writing, now seeing that Rin's expression meant whatever it was wasn't life-threatening. By the way she had barged into his office a moment before, the matter just might have been.

"Check out '_Soap Weekly'!"_ She tossed the open magazine onto his crowded desk.

He swiveled lazily in his chair, leaning over the periodical. "Yeah? So what? An ad for....uh... 'control-top support pantyhose'....What? What's the joke?" He stared at her blankly. He wasn't in the mood for jokes.

One of his other clients had been turning into a prima donna since her last commercial. A woman named Tsubaki- she was convinced that she should be the quintessential archetype for anti-aging cream, and that Miroku should focus all of his efforts on her. What a silly, confused, not to mention domineering, woman. He had been spending half his morning trying to convince her that he would find her more work, with time....and, if the casting directors didn't cast her, it didn't necessarily mean that they were disillusioned and naïve idiots, as she had so proposed....

Yes, today was not shaping up to be a giggly kind of day.

Rin rolled her eyes, and took on an exasperated tone with the harassed agent. "No, Miroku. Look at the page next to it!" She laid a finger on the glossy page next to the pantyhose ad.

Miroku, after a glance at the article, snatched up the magazine, his eyes speeding along every line of the blurb. "That's our Kagome!" He was speechless for a moment, as his lips worked to form words. "She's in-in....a magazine!"

Rin grinned. "You certainly have a way with words, smoothie- of COURSE she's in a magazine! _'Shards of Our Memories'_ has been getting raves from all the critics- no wonder _'Soap Weekly' _wrote them up!"

Rin breathed with excitement, pointing at the bottom of the article. "And- LOOK! Look what I could win!"

Miroku looked intently at the box at the bottom. "_ 'Shards' _Contest.." He read. "'You can win a tour of the set, along with a limo ride to a dinner with the stars of the best new soap on TV- Kagome Higurashi and Kouga Murane......'......yes? Rin, you're really weird. You see Kagome on a daily basis, and we already had dinner with Kouga..."

She smiled, starry-eyed. "But, they weren't FAMOUS back then, Miroku! You should watch the show more often- the characters are so wonderful! And Damien and Maya have such a wonderful romance!" she gushed. "Also, I'd get a limo ride! And a tour of the set!"

Miroku cocked his head at his hair-brained assistant, giving her a quizzical stare, and trying to remember if he had in fact hired this girl for her intelligence....maybe her pretty face had skewed his reasoning during the selection process...

He rolled his eyes at her antics, and then stood to usher her out of his office so he could finally get some work done. "If it makes you happy, Rin, why don't we visit Kagome on the set tomorrow? Now, please go and do some of whatever I hired you for..."

"Really? We'll go? Neat!"

Miroku shut the door behind her, shaking her head. Soap operas turned girls into such freaks.

At least he felt like giggling now.

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

"This picture is beautiful, Kagome. I wish I were this photogenic!" Ayame studied the '_Soap Weekly' _article for a moment, then handed it back. "Are you enjoying all this attention?"

"It's....different. It's nice to be out in the open, and recognized for all of my hard work....but it's sort of a shame that I'm getting all the publicity when everyone here does so much to make the show happen."

Ayame laughed, her eyes twinkling, and flawless skin crinkling in merriment. "You're one silly girl. It would help you to stop thinking about everyone else around you for a moment, and enjoy the spotlight. After all, we're only entitled to our fifteen minutes of fame.....might as well take it as it comes."

"I guess you're right...."

"Believe the old, veteran hag....she always knows best." The redhead winked at Kagome.

"I'll keep that in mind...." Kagome laughed, as Ayame left her to visit her dressing room down the hall.

As Ayame left her alone near the food table, looking over today's script, she noticed a bit of commotion among the people working on the stage. Before filming, a happy, excited buzz like this was unprecedented. It was more likely to hear sounds of stressed screaming then it was to hear the fangirlish giggling that had reached her ears.

Raising an eyebrow, she moved closer to the stage door, wondering why even the detached Kanna looked like she might eventually show an emotion on her sheet-white face.

Obviously Kagome was growing very interested. These people were used to dramatic twists and used to famous people, so what was all the commotion? She picked up her buttered blueberry muffin from her paper plate, taking a quick bite. She noticed the crowd around the door was quickly moving back to let somebody in. Kagome stood on her toes for a moment, trying to peer over the sea of heads.

Suddenly, out of the bustling crowd appeared Hiten in his normal jeans and ball-cap, trailed closely by a tall, white-haired man. Kagome swallowed her bite of muffin, noticing that it was the same man that had held the door open for her that morning.

She also noticed how handsome he was upon giving him a longer glance. Though she had originally mistaken him for Sesshomaru, she saw that he had a boyish, rugged face that showed much more emotion the producer's cold glance. He was currently surveying the set around him, without an actor's trademark million-watt smile. He looked intently at the furnished sets and bright lights, his bright eyes roving across the designs.

She quickly realized that Hiten was approaching her, and she gently set her food down on the table beside her.

Hiten smiled widely as he patted Kagome's shoulder lightly. "Good Morning, Miss Higurashi. Do you remember Inuyasha Tanaka?" He motioned to Inuyasha, ten steps behind, now intent on the script in his hand.

Kagome's eyes widened a little, recognizing the name. "I've heard a lot about him around the set...He's an actor, right?"

Hiten laughed jovially. "More than an actor. He was the star of '_Soul Sharing', _and he was a teen idol. Everyone knew his name....well, except you, of course...."

"I'm sorry...I've never been one for soap operas...well, until now, at least..."

"That's just fine. Why don't I introduce you two....." He turned back to Inuyasha. "Inuyasha! There's someone here I'd like you to meet!"

Inuyasha nodded slowly, rolling up the script in his hands, and gracefully strolling to where Hiten stood. Kagome breathed in a little, waiting for him to focus his attention to her. She hoped that she wouldn't be too much of a simpleton for him. He seemed very experienced in the atmosphere of the set, while she was still floundering in the excitement of it all.

As soon as he laid eyes on her, Inuyasha recognized the girl from the lobby. She had dark, round, shining eyes, and a brilliant smile gracing her sweet face. But, he didn't notice her beauty. He was only seeing the eerie resemblance she had to an old memory. His golden eyes bore into Kagome's, making her feel very self-conscious.

"Inuyasha, this is Kagome Higurashi. This is her first major role, but she's doing a wonderful job as our leading lady...."

Kagome stuck out her hand for Inuyasha to shake, giving him a hesitant smile, and waiting for him to say something. –_Wow. I must look like a total fool. That's why he's not speaking.—_

Inuyasha's face suddenly altered into a bitter sneer, as he looked at her outstretched hand.

"What is this- some kind of sick joke?!"

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

....Stick around for next chapter..... **"All My Children Are Actors?"**

**R&R please**


	5. Chapter 5: All My Children Are actors?

DISCLAIMER: I want Inuyasha. Sadly, fanfics don't help as much as I hoped they would. ::tears:: 

A/N: Hey everyone! I feel as light as a feather right now, just having finished my last final of Junior year (and getting mostly A's this semester!!) I'll hopefully have a lot more free time for writing.

Thanks to all my reviewers for their beautiful comments. Enjoy this chapter, and please review!

CHAPTER 5: All My Children 

Excerpt from the October 21st edition of '_Soap Weekly':_

"_Episode three of 'Shards of Our Memories' has just turned the tables on viewers. Our young, hot couple, Maya and Damien, were caught in a lie by Damien's wife, Jessie(Ayame Kogoro) . Their forbidden romance has been discovered. Damien, after being provoked into an argument with his wife, grew desperate in trying to shut her up. In an act of anger and passion, Damien stabbed his wife to death. Now he and Maya are on the run from the law, trying to cover up their tracks the best they can!".............._

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

What a jerk. What a complete and total jerk.

When Kagome had first laid eyes on Inuyasha Tanaka, she had hoped his personality might be as beautiful as his face. _Well that was a futile hope, _she thought bitterly.

_"'What is this, some kind of sick joke?!'"_

...He had the nerve to say something like that to her face! It had made her heart sink down into her stomach, made her feel like a disgusting bug on the windshield, the way he had stared her down. Why not just tell her that she was an ugly actress with no talent? Why beat around the bush?

She sat in her dressing room this way, the next morning, replaying those words and that expression over and over in her mind. He hadn't even apologized to her- he had stormed off, and Hiten had apologized for him.

What a disgusting, arrogant pig.

She entertained the thought of him boiling in a pit of scathing oil. No, acid. That would be more painful.

Sigh.

If only every female worker of Kakera Studios saw what kind of an ass this Inuyasha was, instead of falling all over his feet. How could somebody that rude become so famous, anyway? Sure, he was drop-dead gorgeous. But that's where the good qualities ended....

Sango let herself into Kagome's dressing room, finding her friend glaring intently at her reflection in the mirror. Maybe this wasn't such a good time....

"....Kagome...? Are you okay?" she tapped her friend carefully on the shoulder, as if she was scared she might combust if she pushed any harder.

Kagome snapped out of her reverie, but didn't return Sango's worried smile. "...Yeah....I'm just fine, Sango..." It didn't sound very believable.

"So....I heard you met Inuyasha Tanaka yesterday..." She trailed off, waiting for Kagome to pick up the conversation.

"Yeah....."

"Er....so, you two didn't exactly hit it off, I gather?"

Kagome sighed, the sinking feeling returning. "I was really looking forward to meeting him, but, for some reason he was extremely rude to me. I didn't do anything to him- I've never MET him before this, and he looked at me as if....as if I was this....disgusting thing....."

Sango began brushing Kagome's hair out, responding in a cool, soothing voice. "Well, I'm sure there was some sort of reason for the way he acted....you're very pretty, Kagome, and I know you weren't rude to him. Maybe he was just in a bad mood. It happens to all of us!"

Kagome nodded. "Maybe so...."

"Anyway, I haven't been working on sets for long, but I know the rumors. He's been in seclusion for three years now- did you know that?"

"No I didn't...I barely even knew his name until a couple of months ago..."

"Well..." Sango's voice suddenly grew hushed.... "I don't know the truth of the matter, but there was some type of scandal that he was involved in that caused him to become a recluse...There were these rumors that he was involved with his co-star of _Soul Sharing,_ but that she had cheated on him with another man....I guess Inuyasha wanted her back, but she wouldn't take him....And then..."

Kagome's ears perked up a little, fascinated in the tragic reason for his harsh attitude. "....Then what....?" She asked, quietly.

"She was killed. I can't remember how it was exactly- if it was foul play or an accident or something. All I know is that he hasn't been seen in public for a long time, and he hasn't let the press in on anything. So, it seems as if nobody knows the truth..."

"That's.....that's really sad...." Kagome sat in awe for a moment, thinking in silence. Who knew that there could have been a reason behind that arrogant demeanor.....Maybe he wasn't just a stereotypical self-centered actor after all....

"I say that today you try talking to him again. He's probably not all that bad. He deserves another chance...."

Kagome huffed pointedly. "What if I don't want to give him another chance?"

"Well, then, you'll be wondering about what he's really like for the rest of your life, won't you?" Sango smiled brightly.

Kagome groaned. "Sometimes you make far too much sense, Sango..."

"Thank you..." she giggled, turning back to Kagome's half-finished hairdo.

_Why in the world did I say that? _Inuyasha berated himself, remembering what he had said to the girl the day before. He hadn't seen her yet that day, but, already the guilt was biting at his insides.

The moment he had seen her smiling face turned up at him, old emotions and memories had decided to spring their way out of his mouth. He had seen those delicate features that reminded him so much of Kikyo, and his mind had chosen that moment to snap. Maybe being alone for so long had dulled the normal reservation and shyness he had around strangers.

The worst part about the situation was the way she had stood there, stunned and disbelieving, like he had just slapped her in the face. He hadn't been able to apologize for embarrassment, and had stormed off to find his dressing room. She was left with Hiten, looking completely horrified by his actions.

He squirmed angrily just thinking about it.

_What a great way to start off my first day back. ._He growled in his mind. Maybe he wouldn't have to see that girl very often...and then he wouldn't have to apologize...

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Kagome admired herself in the mirror, satisfied with the way she looked. The designer clothes picked out for her shaped her body nicely, and Sango's work was beautiful as always.

She picked up the script that lay on the vanity, and flipped through today's scenes. A few serious and romantic scenes between her and Kouga.......Kagura would be introduced as a possible wedge in their relationship...Kanna was Kagura's evil sister. _Ah, soap opera plots are so interesting..._she thought to herself, eyeing the tense dialogue between herself and her leading man.

As she was surveying the script, she saw a name that made her stomach flip slightly. Inuyasha would have his first scene today....

Immediately immersing herself into the stage directions and words of the script, she read his scene. He had been cast as an old friend of Ayame's, who had witnessed her murder, and was now out for revenge.

Intent on the scene, she opened her dressing room door, and stepped out into the hall.

And walked straight into something warm and hard.

She looked up, startled. For a moment, she wished she had run into the opposite wall instead of this broad chest. She was staring straight up into the face of Inuyasha, who looked none to happy. She blushed as his golden eyes shone down upon her, and stepped back quickly, fidgeting with the script in her hand. What should she say to him, to make sure he didn't despise her?

She noticed that he also looked somewhat uncomfortable in the situation, as he stared back at her with reddened cheeks.

"So...er-"

"I-"

They both spoke at the same time, and then stubbornly averted their eyes from each other.

Kagome began again, trying to meet his eyes. "I......Inuyasha....I think we started out on the....wrong foot yesterday, so to speak....so....I'd like to apologize for anything I did.....or I was....er....wondering if you really meant what you said, or...." She trailed off when she saw how he was staring at her.

He snorted a little, though he was obviously a little flustered at their forced meeting. "You don't have to apologize, wench!" He almost shouted at her, throwing her an arrogant sneer.

Fighting his embarrassment, he turned away from her, and began walking in the direction of the set, leaving her standing in the middle of the narrow hallway.

Before he exited the hallway, though, he stopped and spoke, reluctantly.

"I....didn't really mean what I said.....yesterday..."

He bowed his head a little, and then shoved his way violently through the door that lead to the stage.

Kagome stared after him, a little relief washing into her veins.

He was a strange man.....but at least she knew that he didn't hate her......

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

About the same time that Kagome and Inuyasha were trying to overcome their differences, Miroku casually leaned over the desk of the receptionist at Kakera Studios, giving her a brilliant smile, his dark violet eyes twinkling with mischief.

"So...." He began, winking deftly at her, his voice dripping with syrupy charm. "...Do you know where we could find the set of 'Shards of Our Memories'? We are very _successful_ agents who must speak with our client immediately..."

The woman looked up from her computer, eyeing Miroku over the tops of her glasses with a dubious expression, not one bit affected by his flirtatious actions. She didn't believe his story in the slightest. After a few seconds of this, she turned silently back to her work, and continued typing with ease.

Miroku sighed audibly, and cleared his throat again to attempt a better approach.

Rin coughed loudly behind him, sighing her disapproval. Patiently, she pulled his elbows away from the desk. Looking up at him as if he were a small child that needed direction, she patted him on the shoulder.

"Miroku, sweetie- why don't I take care of this before you get yourself into trouble?"

Turning sweetly to the woman at the desk with an apologetic smile, she gently shoved Miroku back.

"Please forgive him....neither one of us are used to being inside a studio like this..." Miroku looked somewhat disgruntled. "But, we're close friends with Kagome Higurashi, and she said it would be fine if we visited her on the set today...Would it be all right if we entered the studio....?"

The woman grinned warmly at Rin. "Why sure, hon. Kagome let me know that you would be coming by today. She's a lovely girl isn't she?" Miroku looked positively miffed at the receptionist's changed attitude.

"She sure is..."

"Well, they'll be in through the third door on your right...filming hasn't begun yet, so you should hurry. Mr. Raiken hates interruptions."

Rin smiled back. "Thank you very much!"

The woman chuckled as she watched them leave. "You be careful now!" she called, looking pointedly at Miroku.

He shot back an unaffected boyish smile and a wave, before letting an exasperated Rin drag him through the door that led to the set.

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Kagome stood near the edge of the set, silently watching everyone prepare for the next scene. Inuyasha's scene. Despite the previous misunderstanding between them, she was curious to see what kind of an actor he was.

At a glance up, she noticed that he was standing alone on the opposite side of the set, sullenly reviewing the script. She couldn't help but catch a sense of loneliness that lingered around his figure, as he read the words in front of him with his burning golden eyes. Finding a bit of courage deep down inside herself, she moved behind the set to go strike up a conversation with him.

He was so focused on his studying, he didn't look up. Or, if he had noticed her, he gave no sign. She allowed herself to bounce up in a friendly way, and she stood quietly next to him, waiting for him to speak first.

After a few moments during which she was positive that he was purposefully ignoring her, he found it impossible not to acknowledge her presence any longer.

His dark eyebrows were knitted down over his eyes and his mouth was twisted in frustration as he met her gaze. "What?! Do you want something? Or are you just standing there like an idiot for no reason?" he spoke harshly.

She struggled to let his tone wash over her, and smiled brightly. "I just wanted to wish you good luck on your first scene!" Inuyasha was in need of friendship, and she was determined to be the first to offer it.

He almost spit at her shining smile. "Well, I don't want your luck, thank you very much...." He shot back gruffly, though his voice was less edged this time.

She kept her cool, though she had a hard time doing so under his hateful attitude. "I didn't ask if you wanted it....I just wanted to let you know that you had it!" With that, she turned on her heel primly, and strutted back to her side of the sound stage.

Inuyasha looked after her, startled. _What a useless girl, _he thought grumpily to himself. _Doesn't she know I'm not here to make friends?_

Kagome settled herself against a wall beside the living room set, huffing in rebuke. She watched carefully as Inuyasha stepped onto the stage, feeling a little annoyed at how he chose to ignore her even now, when she stood a scant few feet away.

_It must feel strange for him, _she considered,_ to be on a set after such a long time..._

But, Inuyasha didn't look slightly affected by where he stood. He looked calm, if not a little bored, and Kagome wondered if he even felt a hint of the apprehension that she did before each scene. If he did feel it, there wasn't even a flicker in his expression.

Ayame had now joined the tall actor on the set, and it was slightly unsettling to see her covered in her gory makeup- fake blood and ripped skin across her torso, pale makeup making her cheeks look like cold granite. Settling herself carefully on the floor, she sprawled in an unnatural pose. It was almost uncanny how dead she really looked, Kagome noticed, in a kind of amused horror. Her jaw became slack as she closed her eyes, returning to the character of Damien's murdered wife.

The lights were being set low, in a dramatic flare that highlighted the motionless body. Kagome watched in fascination as Inuyasha's demeanor began to change.

Morphing his facial muscles in what seemed to be some kind of miraculous transformation, his features fell into a pliable mask that could be manipulated into fear, agony, anger or sadness. Kagome leaned forward a bit, curious about how he would handle the delicate scene.

As the lights on the set went down low, after they finally weaseling their way past the stubborn security guard at the door, Miroku and Rin made their way towards the set. They appeared just as Hiten took his place, and the camera began rolling. Just like Kagome, the two were immediately pulled into the scene by Inuyasha's incredible presence on the stage.

It was as if he sucked the attention and the emotion from every corner of the studio into his body, and threw it back out in his stance and in the shine of his expressive eyes.

As the scene commenced, the lights lowered and suddenly Inuyasha fell into his character. He entered the set in the guise of Jessie Court's close friend, and upon seeing the character's corpse sprawled on the rug, his face twisted into horror and disbelief. Kagome watched, breathless, as every emotion that Inuyasha portrayed felt genuine. He was on his knees, cradling Ayame's limp body in his arms, and an anguished howl broke from his lips. He hunched over the lifeless form and rocked back and forth gently, his whole body radiating sadness.

The studio was silent. All eyes were focused on Inuyasha's performance. And, in the quiet, Kagome heard sobbing. Inuyasha was crying, or at least doing a perfect acting job.

Some aspect of his faked misery tugged something inside her stomach.

Perhaps acting in this scene was close enough to the truth....? His old girlfriend....she had been killed, hadn't she? And, here he was, letting all that sadness out on stage after such a long time.

Kagome, unwittingly, felt small lump rise in her throat, as she sympathized. Was this real for him? Had this been the reason for his distant attitude?

Perfectly executing the lines of the script, Inuyasha vowed for revenge on the killer of his dear friend, and fire spread in his dark eyes. The power with which he spoke the words caused the entire room to hang onto the movements of his lips in a kind of awed stupor.

As Hiten cut the scene, the studio rang with hammering applause. As the lights were brought back up, Inuyasha stood up from his position on the ground. Kagome was surprised, seeing his face calm once again- it wasn't marred by sadness anymore, nor was there any sign of tears.

Perhaps it really was just acting.

He still a remained a mystery to Kagome.

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

A short time later, after unsuccessfully trying his luck with a couple of the female assistants on the set, Miroku found his client in her dressing room. Kagome was seated in front of her mirror, and was prepping for her next scene. She welcomed him with a bubbly greeting, and allowed him to cross and give her a large bear hug.

"That was quite a fantastic performance Inuyasha Tanaka put on out there, wasn't it?" Kagome nodded solemnly, still impressed by his skills. She turned around to face him.

"My, don't you look dashing today!" she commented, nodding at his sharp lavender collared shirt and dark slacks. "Have you ever considered taking up acting?" she teased.

He chuckled, surveying her dressing room with blatant appreciation. "No I have not, but I have my connections...."

"You didn't dress up just for little old me, did you?"

"Well, I had to represent my best client well.....and be allowed in without a fuss...by the way, your receptionist is kind of crabby..."

Kagome smirked, her brown eyes twinkling. "You tried to flirt with the receptionist?"

"I'll choose not to answer that question."

Dorkus Maximus, thy name is Miroku... "...Speaking of receptionists, where's Rin? Did you decide to ditch your keeper at the office and make her do meaningless busywork?" Kagome swiveled around to face the mirror again, adjusting the curls on her head.

Miroku grunted. "Nothing ever done in the office of Miroku Inoue is meaningless! But, if you must know, yes, I did bring her along. At the moment she's drooling over some man in high places." He rolled his eyes, playing with the golden ring in his earlobe.

Kagome laughed. "She saw Inuyasha? Kouga?"

"No....she's currently ogling over Sesshomaru Tanaka. She was with me when he walked by. She mumbled something about deities on studio sets, and ran off to make googly eyes at him...."

"....Jealous....?"

"Of the money, yes! Of the fact that his assistant looks like a toad, not quite. Women dig a man from humble beginnings, anyway! I happen to have many female admirers..."

Kagome didn't doubt that many girls had fallen under his spell, but he made it so simple to take a crack at his actions. "Yeah- many as in your mother and your grandmother."

"I resent that comment...."

As the two friends bickered, there came a soft knock at the door. Without even looking to see who was standing there, Kagome knew who it was. She grinned. "Come on in, Sango!"

The woman grinned back, though looked somewhat surprised to see a man sitting across from Kagome.

Kagome saw Miroku's eyes light up at Sango's curvy, athletic figure and cute face, and sighed.

Sango smiled shyly. She extended her hand to Miroku, and he shook it warmly. "I'm Sango Miteru, Kagome's hair and makeup artist."

He nodded, smiling back at her. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sango. I'm Miroku Inoue, Kagome's agent!"

"You remember the perverted one I was telling you about, right?" Kagome interjected, dryly.

"Ah, yes...."

Miroku looked mock-offended. His humorous indigo eyes were set off brightly against the color of his collared shirt.

Souten leaned her head into the room for a second, notifying Kagome that shooting would began within the next ten minutes. Sango lightly began touching up Kagome's hair.

"Well, I guess I must leave you two ladies be," Miroku sighed. "I have a certain girl I'm going to have to drag from the clutches of Sesshomaru Tanaka...."

Kagome and Sango both nodded to him as he left, then turned back to their work.

"...it was very nice to meet you, Sango!" he called. It was lucky for him that the girls didn't see him take a furtive and lingering glance at Sango's rear end as he left the room.

If they had he would have most definitely left with some kind of red imprint across his dashing face.

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

...Look forward to **"Chapter 6: General Hospital"**....

...Just know that it's called "General Hospital" for a reason! ; )

please review!

-ForteXD


	6. Chapter 6: General Hospital

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha. I've tried all the abandoned dry wells in my county, and none of them lead to the feudal age in Japan....::sigh:: 

A/N: Finally! Sorry I took a little longer than usual with this chapter. I've gotten caught up in my newest fic, "My Priest Charming." But, it's here now, so have no fear. I hope you're in the mood for some nice InuKag romance, because that's what I wrote! Enjoy, and please review ; )

"Shards of Our Memories" CHAPTER 6: General Hospital 

"OH MY GOD! Kagome Higurashi?! Are you really THE Kagome Higurashi?!"

"...Er....that's me...?"

Kagome giggled nervously, thrown off by the girl's overzealous nature. The young teenage girl's fingers were latched around Kagome's arm like a vice, and she was alternating between gazing at Kagome with feverishly disbelieving eyes, and digging through her oversized purse to find a spare scrap of paper.

"I'm glad you enjoy the show..." she tried to strike up a friendly conversation in the uncomfortable situation.

What were you supposed to say, anyway, to someone who idolized you? 'thanks for worshipping me as a goddess, but I'm really just normal.'? Or perhaps the old standby 'It's all thanks to fans like you that I'm so successful.'

The girl practically wheezed in Kagome's face with excitement, her thin lips curling over the thick brackets of her braces. "ENJOY?! I die for that show!" Kagome had heard about fangirl attacks from her costars, but this was the first time she had ever experienced one. She had walked into the corner convenience store to pick up a carton of milk, and had practically been assaulted.

For a moment, she had forgotten the reason that anyone might recognize her on the street. She had been convinced it was a mugger....though, why someone would try to rob her of a carton of nonfat milk in the dairy section of a convenience store, she did not know....

Kagome pasted a wide grin on her face, accepting the pen and paper from the fan. "Er....so, who should I make this out to?"

"Oh..uh....uh...my name's Kelly! Sorry, I've never met anyone famous before.....kinda nervous..."

"....Don't be nervous....OK....to Kelly....best wishes....Kagome Higurashi..." Kagome scratched the words on the paper, and then signed her name in loopy cursive, carefully dotting the I's and adding a small heart. She handed it back to Kelly, a little pride seeping into her features. Her first real fan encounter. However scary it had first felt, it was certainly something she would always remember.

Kelly thanked her profusely, almost knocking over a rack of candy as she left the store.

Kagome waved after her, and blew out a sigh of relief as the girl left.

She finally turned to pay for the carton of milk, surprisingly not damaged after the frantic fan girl attack.

The woman at the counter gave Kagome a very long and strange look as she handed the girl her change.

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

The day that Inuyasha had arrived on the set of "Shards of Our Memories", Kagome had anticipated trouble. She had guessed correctly in some senses. He had become trouble on the set and off. Besides his original shy demeanor, the other cast members had soon recognized him as being the diva on the set. He made it immediately clear that he had not asked to be involved, and, therefore, was not going to make the best of it. He tried to avoid conversation as much as possible, never apologized, and, though he never ordered the assistants to do any outlandish tasks for him, he carried an air of arrogance that was unrivaled by even Kouga, the self-proclaimed King of Soaps.

In the show, too, Inuyasha's character was blooming into a brooding kind of asshole. Alonzo Martin, his alter ego on the soundstage, was not only a suave heartthrob, but he was deadly. It was almost frightening at the accuracy Inuyasha portrayed the lost man, searching for revenge, boiling with pent-up anger. He was hidden in the shadows, spying on the happy couple of Maya and Damien, trying to find the best way to seek revenge.

But despite these things- this veil of self-importance and standoffish-ness, Kagome still had the urge to get to know him. He was always alone, only talked on rare occasions when Hiten or Sesshomaru would ask for a word with him. Whenever Kagome moved to strike up another conversation, he would usually shoot back some scathing remark, give her a strange look and close up again. Though, she would have sworn that, on occasion, she had caught him staring at her. Those golden eyes- they were hard to miss, and hard to forget. She tried to lock his eyes, but they became shuttered easily, falling into a kind of misty shroud.

One day she would figure him out, but until that day, it seemed she was stuck with an emotionless log as a costar.

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

"So, Kagome- have you considered taking me up on a date? Dinner? A movie?"

Kouga's blue-green eyes glimmered brightly.

Kagome pulled her eyes away from her food for a moment, staring at Kouga over the table. Taking a hasty bite of her salad, she noticed Inuyasha standing within earshot of the conversation, shoveling some food on his plate from the lunch table. She turned her attention back to Kouga, returning his smile. "Sure, Kouga. That sounds like it would be fun!"

Kouga looked satisfied with himself, as he winked back at her. Noticing with a kind of remorseful surprise the emptiness of his food plate, he got up from his seat to go join Inuyasha at the food table.

Kagome watched silently as Kouga tried to strike up some sort of conversation with the cold shoulder, and began anticipating the worst.

"So, Inuyasha- I hear your character and my character are going to have a stand-off pretty soon, eh? Looking forward to the challenge?" Kouga poked Inuyasha's shoulder lightly, sending him a trademark snide grin.

Inuyasha frowned, and plain dislike appeared on his face as Kouga leaned closer to him. Instead of taking the bait and firing back, Inuyasha turned to face the wolfish actor slowly. His eyes glared daggers into Kouga. Yes, it didn't seem like Inuyasha was in the mood for talking, let alone joking. Then, with a sense of complete deliberation, Inuyasha swung his arm out fast and knocked Kouga's plate out his hands and onto the floor. Without saying a word, he turned on his heel and stomped off to eat alone.

Kouga stood motionless for a moment, watching the retreating figure with confusion. He slowly gathered up the pieces of meat and cheese from the ground, and then stalked back over to the table at where Kagome sat, his face twisted in anger and damaged pride.

"Kagome- whatever you do, don't mess with that guy! He's nothing but trash- I don't even know what the hell is wrong with him!" He glared at the empty hallway, shoving some food into his mouth.

Kagome sighed deeply. She felt like she should feel that kind of disgust towards him too, but she felt too intrigued by him. "....I've heard....that he's not so bad of a guy once you get to know him...." A feeble attempt._ Though I guess it's hard to get to know someone when he knocks your plate out of your hand whenever you try and talk to him.._

Kouga frowned deeper. "....Then he must have a fantastic PR representative..."

Sango leaned against the partition behind the set, watching the actors preparing for the last scene of the day. She was on hand for touch-ups on makeup and hair, but was having a fine time watching the plot play out as an audience member. Though she often knew the details of the week's script because of her close association with Kagome, she still found herself addicted to the complicated plot.

And then there he was. The resident pervert. Sango rolled her eyes, seeing him strolling towards where she stood. In the past few weeks, Miroku had taken up the practice of visiting the set constantly. His excuse was that he wanted to check up on Kagome, but the clever hairstylist had the sneaking suspicion that he was coming to check OUT the women on the set.

She had to admit he was handsome, though. Nobody would say that he wasn't. Dark hair, shining eyes, a warm smile and chiseled features. Charming, too. When he was in the mood to be, Miroku could make any girl swoon. But, of course, beauty and brains don't always come in the same package. Miroku often waylaid charm and intelligence so that he could cop a feel. Not exactly a great way of getting a date.

He leaned up against the wall beside her, casually. She sighed. What was he going to do now? She didn't even try to move away from him as he greeted her.

"Sango- you look beautiful today!" He winked.

Sango rolled her eyes again. "Don't try anything, Mr. Inoue..." she warned, flatly.

"Whatever do you mean, Sango?"

Predictably, he moved in for the kill, trying to move with grace and ease. Sango was quicker than he imaged, though. No hand was going to grope her, no matter what kind of smile was attached to it. Miroku doubled over, clutching his stomach. Boy, was her elbow sharp!

Sango huffed, and right away, hustled away from the prone agent to get her bearings. It was as if his ears were impervious to warning signs of dangerous females. Why in the world couldn't he be a gentleman for one moment in his pathetic life?

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Everything had wrapped up for the night. The cameras had stopped rolling, and, currently, the large stage lights were cooling down. Kagome was enjoying the settling darkness, knowing it brought peace and stillness in the night, and that she could go home to rest after a harrowing day. She pulled on her jacket over her short dress, gathering her belongings.

As she made her way out into the studio floor, she saw Inuyasha there, conversing with Hiten near the foot of the set. She was caught for a moment, watching the way he moved and spoke.

A light tap on her shoulder made her practically jump out of her skin, embarrassed to be caught entranced. She swung around, shooting a nervous smile to Kouga, who was standing over her, almost protectively. He glanced over at Inuyasha for a moment, a mixed look of jealousy and discontent shadowing his face. Then, he turned back to Kagome.

"....Need a ride home....?"

She smiled a little, resisted the urge to look back at Inuyasha.

"No....no...I'll just take the bus...my apartment's a short distance from here, don't worry...." She lied.

"..You're sure you'll be safe?"

"...Yeah, yeah....I'll be just fine...!" She smiled reassuringly.

He nodded hesitantly, and then waved a goodbye to her, exiting from the studio side door to the back parking lot.

And, suddenly, Hiten and Kouga had left, and she and Inuyasha were all alone in the shadowy studio. Kagome breathed out slowly, wondering if she was brave enough to approach him. For the first time in weeks, he voluntarily looked her way, and their eyes locked for more than just a few seconds. Hers dark brown, and his holding an unusual brightness in them.

He didn't speak, though. Although his eyes glowed expectantly, his face still remained stony, and Kagome knew she would have to make the first move.

"....Inuyasha...." He didn't know why, but hearing her speak his name softly like that made a small blush rise to his cheeks. "Do you think you could drive me home? I'm not sure the bus comes this late." Boy, she was just full of lies tonight.....

He didn't move for a second, assessing the question with a kind of blank surprise. Maybe he had thought she was going to say something else...?

"Uh.....sure...." he responded, gruffly.

She nodded smartly, smiling up at him. "Thank you so much! You're a lifesaver!"

He turned away from her smile with a little pout on his face. She smiled inwardly. Was he blushing?

She followed him quietly out into the moonlight, they paced quietly along the cold concrete beneath the faded yellow of the streetlights. Her heels made sharp clicking noises that cut through the fresh air, and she noticed how he even slowed his pace to match hers.

He didn't know why he felt so shy next to this girl. She was silly, idiotic, bubbly. She kept staring at him, trying to get under his skin. The most annoying part was that she had succeeded. He couldn't help but look at her when they were in the same room. That constant cheerfulness in her step and her smile really should have annoyed him. But, for some unexplained reason, it didn't bother him. In fact, he noticed how content he felt, walking in silence with her down the empty street.

Kagome pulled the collar of her coat up under her chin, turning to glance at Inuyasha, who was hiding his face behind long locks of lush, white hair.

"So....are you enjoying acting on the show?"

He glared for a moment, but not at her. "It wasn't my choice....but.....it's not as bad as I first thought it would be."

She raised an eyebrow. "Then who made the choice for you, if it wasn't your own?"

"....My brother...." She nodded, quietly, realizing that he didn't want to talk about the subject any further, as his face darkened dangerously.

After another prolonged silence, she tried to restart conversation. "You've been doing a great job in your performance. You're so brilliant in your delivery. I feel I almost pale in comparison."

He didn't answer right away, but nodded without a word. Then, he met her eyes for the second time that night. "Yeah.....you really are pretty good yourself....."

She grinned back at him, almost bubbling over with pleased laughter. "See! I knew you had it in you!"

His calm face disrupted into a puzzled frown. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"You can be nice- you are human! I knew once I got you to open up, there'd be something soft deep inside." She hummed a little to herself, her feet feeling lighter.

He scowled, looking at this girl skipping along a deserted street, looking like a fool. He placed his hands on his hips, jutting out his jaw defiantly, though his face become more flushed. "I'm not a sissy!" He turned to stomp off towards the parking garage. Kagome, giggling a little, sped up to catch up with him.

There was a muffled sound of surprise behind Inuyasha, and he whipped around to see Kagome flat on the sidewalk, sprawled out on the concrete. He looked down at her, confused. "What are you doing?!"

She glared up at him, suddenly growing embarrassed. "I tripped, OK? I'm not exactly the most coordinated person when it comes to heels...." She cursed at herself, hoping that she didn't look like she literally WAS throwing herself at Inuyasha's feet.

Sighing dramatically, and containing his smug grin, Inuyasha crouched down next to her, helping her to sit up. "You OK....?" He asked dryly, tempted to taunt her just to see how she would react. Kagome sighed, winced as she placed a hand over her ankle.

He rolled his eyes impatiently, though an expression of worry spread across his face. "Don't touch it, stupid!" The way he said the word made it almost sound like an endearment, and Kagome didn't mind. Carefully, Inuyasha undid the strap that hooked around Kagome's ankle, and he began inspecting the swelling flesh. He grunted to himself, his fingers moving lightly over the tender skin. She jumped at his touch, the pain spreading rapidly.

"You might have sprained it..." he said, somewhat regretfully. "Do you think you can walk...?" His eyes rose up to meet hers.

"I'm not sure..." Using his broad shoulders for support Kagome tried to get up on her heels, and wavered within seconds. She found herself immediately in the awkward position of being gripped around the waist by a certain handsome actor. What a precarious position- one that she hadn't bargained for when she had asked for a ride home.

Now she was the one that was blushing. He growled at her a little. "I'll have to carry you back to the car, then..."

Before she could even protest, he had swung her easily into his arms, as if she weighed no more than a feather. He moved quickly down the sidewalk, with smooth, long strides. She bit her lip, nervously, sincerely regretting her choice of dress for the day. Her short skirt fell off her legs at a sharp angle, and his strong fingers wrapped tightly around the bare skin of her thighs. A shiver ran up her body, though if it was from the cold night air, or the fact that she was forced to hold her arms around his neck, she wasn't sure. She tried to relax into his arms, realizing that, to him, this might not mean anything.

Before she could register the full impact of the situation, they had arrived at Inuyasha's car. He set her gently in the passenger side, buckling her in, then proceeded to get in the driver's seat.

She smiled over at him, glad to notice how his face looked calmer, less cloudy than normal. Could it be that she was seeing that hidden nice side of him? "Thank you, Inuyasha...."

He smirked wryly at her as he turned the corner with ease. "Just don't fall over any more curbs, you klutz!"

....Or perhaps he would never change.....

Kagome snuggled up against the smooth leather of the seat, a small grin painted on her face, determined to enjoy the ride until they reached her home.

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

**A/N**: Awwww....I want Inuyasha to carry me home..... ; p

Look forward to Chapter 7: "Another World"

Review please!


	7. Chapter 7: It's Like Another World!

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha.....that job goes to my idol, Rumiko Takahashi!

**A/N: **::trumpets sound:: ::red carpets unfurl:: Chapter 7 is here!!! Sorry for the wait....I wanted to make it real good for all you readers....speaking of which, thank you so much for all the positive reviews!! You don't know how it thrills me to see that people are actually enjoying my writing (And I'm glad I didn't muck up that obligatory "Oops-Kagome-hurt-her-ankle-now-Inuyasha-must-carry-her-home" scene too bad).....It gives me a wonderfully warm-and-fuzzy feeling! ::cuddles reviewers::

Ok.....this time around we've got some more InuKag relationship development, some epiphanies, and a possible cliffhanger.... Don't forget to review!!

"Shards of Our Memories" 

**Chapter 7: It's like Another World!**

A strange sense of fogginess spread through Kagome's brain as she took it all in. No one had told her that this many people would be here. Even in her wildest dreams, she wouldn't have been able to fathom the energy and the excitement that surged through the crowd at their feet.

Today was the cast's first appearance together in public. Before, all their publicity had been done through the morning talk shows, but Hiten and Sesshomaru, the devious businessmen they were, had pushed hard for them to greet their fans personally. It would increase viewer-ship, they said. It would increase the number of swooning women. Most of all, it would increase the profit on the "Shards of Our Memories" merchandise.

So, Inuyasha, Kagome, Kouga and Kagura would soon be besieged on a small stage in the courtyard of the downtown shopping mall, the fans swarming like locusts, waiting for them to work their magic. The MC was conferring with the burly security guards at the foot of the stage, as Kagome turned to comment to Kagura.

"....I didn't realize we had so many fans...." She breathed out in amazement.

Kagura rolled her eyes dramatically, popping her gum loudly. "This is so idiotic. I don't understand why we have to come to these stupid things, anyway."

Kagome was surprised. "...You've done a lot of these...?"

Kagura returned her gaze lazily, then began inspecting her blood-red nails. "One too many. Naraku deserves the shit beaten out of him for forcing me to come," she said spitefully. "It wasn't my choice to be here."

The man at the podium finally switched on the sound system, greeting the audience as the microphone blared with an unpleasant electric yelp out of the speakers. "Good afternoon, everyone!" He pulled the microphone cord along with him, as he stepped out into the middle of the stage, gesturing widely to the waiting fans. "Before we bring up the talent that you came for, I'd like to do a little introduction...."

Kagome leaned on the partition behind the stage, apparently the only one of the four interested in the actual introduction.

"...Early this fall, soap opera fans everywhere were treated to the newest and best creation yet from Kakera Studios, the same wonderful people that brought you such hits as 'Soul Sharing' and 'Minions.' Right away, it was easy to be drawn into the plot of 'Shards of Our Memories,' which follows the harrowing romance of Maya and Damien, their murderous past, and those that scheme to come in between them. Since the day that the first episode was aired, the series has grown to become the highest-grossing daytime soap in television history- and the first season hasn't even ended!"

The crowd applauded fervently at this, and the sound technician beside the podium caused the theme music to swell dramatically and echo out into the courtyard.

The MC flashed a wide grin to the fans. "'Shards of Our Memories' has grown in popularity, not only because of its plot and setting, but mostly because of its colorful cast.... At this time, I have the pleasure of introducing to you to some of the great actors that are behind this hit!"

"Here for you today, we have the talent of 'Shards of Our Memories'- Kagome Higurashi...Inuyasha Tanaka.....Kouga Murane....and Kagura Ayatachi!" As the four stepped out, the sea of heads cheered wildly, screams rising up through the air. The music boomed again.

Kagome's breath caught in her throat again, blinking rapidly as the lights on the stage glared. She couldn't see out into the edges of the courtyard, but if the deafening yells were any indication, they were a very popular bunch. She waved shyly, suddenly becoming a little self-conscious, dressed in silly designer clothing and masquerading like she was royalty. This was too weird.

She shot a look to the rest of the gang, and drew back a bit in surprise. Kagura was grinning. No, not just grinning. Smiling in a blinding kind of whiteness and waving at the fans. Kouga, too. Though, she couldn't say that that was much of a surprise. He was a ham at any opportunity. Perhaps the one that took her most aback, though, was Inuyasha.

He was grumpy, shuttered, dark, even hateful- every day of his life- right? But, here he was, shooting a playboy's toothy grin to anyone who would take it. And the girls just gobbled it up, she noticed, pinpointing a few choices shrieks along the lines of "Inuyasha, even though you're a successful TV actor with millions in the bank and just as many romantic offers, you can run away with me- a pre-teen girl with no visible source of income or intrigue!!!!"

....OK....so perhaps she took a few liberties with the translation.....but, close enough.....

After the frantic cheering died down, the MC took the opportunity to open up the microphone to questions from the audience. Kagome found her seat at the row of folding chairs set beside the podium. Fixing her tight jeans nervously, she squinted out into the crowd.

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Kouga's face was solidified in a dangerous glare. His arms wrapped tight around Kagome, his whole body radiated a clear possessiveness. She was frozen, too, in a kind of pouty surprise. To top it all off, Inuyasha was compelled to bring out his famous piercing stare. Cold and bitter, with a hint of ferocity behind it.

Ah.....promotional posters were such fun.

It had been quite a start for Kagome to realize that, when signing autographs, she would be placed directly in front of a huge picture of herself. It was slightly unsettling, being able to see every feature of your face blown up to ridiculous proportions.

They were seated at card tables that were decked out in blue cloth and plenty of glossy portraits. Inuyasha and Kouga sat on either side of Kagome, and she was learning how to sign her name quickly and efficiently with minimal amount of hand-muscle damage. They were coming in droves, all armed with some quirky compliment, and all with a shining face full of amazement.

And Kagome was enjoying it completely. The fans were so devoted, so supportive, so dedicated, that she was willing to smile wider and hug them closer for the cameras. Though she was still sure that she was probably the least deserving of worship, at least she could make them happy by giving them attention.

Taking a short oxygen break in between signings, she glanced over at Inuyasha, who seemed to have entirely transformed from his normal antisocial behavior. He was shooting everyone smiles, laughing back retorts to the men, and winking casually at the wavering girls. Her lips quirked up a little at the corners, as she observed him. It felt like she was seeing a flicker of the past....perhaps the way he once was, years before.

As the current young teen girl scuttled off after receiving her autograph, Inuyasha noticed that Kagome was watching him with an amused expression on her face.

He rolled his eyes at her. "What the hell are you laughing about?" But, unlike normal, there was a hint of a smile behind his voice.

"Your fans certainly seem to love you!"

Inuyasha grunted a little, pushing a cap down on one of the markers. "Huh. Yeah. They love my character- not me. There's a _very _big difference there."

Kagome giggled a little bit, resting her chin on her fist, fixing him with a mock-dreamy stare. "So, you aren't the slightest bit dashing and mysterious like him?" She teased lightly.

His eyes glinted a little bit, as he stared back at her. ".......what do you think?" She could tell that he wanted to push her buttons, the way he leveled her with his golden eyes.

She flushed darkly, wondering in the back of her mind why the look in his eyes was making her stomach flutter dangerously. "....I...think there are similarities...." Although her mind was racing wildly, she met his gaze.

One of his eyebrows arched, and he held her eyes for a few more seconds.

With a start, they both noticed that a fan was waiting patiently in front of Kagome's table, clutching a magazine that needed signing.

Inuyasha let her greet the girl, as he pushed his chair back from the table and stood. "I'm going to go get a drink of water." Kagome flinched a little, as she could have sworn she heard a chuckle rising from his throat. He certainly was different today....

Inuyasha strolled over to the table where the water cooler stood, purposefully ignoring the giggling girls that gave him long and loving stares. He filled a cup to the brim with cool water, smirking a little to himself. He didn't know why, but something about spending all of this time beside Kagome made him feel lighter than he had in months- no, years. He snorted a bit, remembering her clumsiness a few nights ago. Only Kagome would trip on a curb. He made a mental note to tease her about it later.

Refilling his cup, he began to move back towards the signing tables. The girls were probably missing him already, he thought, brightly.

Suddenly, Inuyasha picked up a snippet of a conversation behind him. He froze in his tracks, waited to hear the rest.

"......Think they chose her cause of her looks?" He had noticed them before. Two men standing next to the 'Shards of Our Memories' poster besides the water table.

Inuyasha frowned a little, guessing that they were speaking about Kagome.

The other man snickered. "Why else would they choose her? She looks exactly that dead chick- you know- that one that Inuyasha was fucking."

Inuyasha's glare deepened, as his breath caught over the implications.

His friend laughed loudly. "Yeah- you're right! I mean, she can't even act anyway! She probably hooked up with one of the producers or something..."

Inuyasha felt like he was burning up inside with rage. His fingers pulled themselves into a tight fist, as he crushed the still-full paper cup in his hands in one violent snap. He had a deep urge to whip around a slam one of their faces into the ground. The way that they spoke about Kikyo....and about Kagome.

He cracked his knuckles dangerously, his shoulders tightening.

Then, he saw Kagome from over the sea of heads. She was shooting him a smile, beckoning him to come back to the tables. The anger in him dissipated slightly, as he saw the innocent shine in her face. He wouldn't get her involved in this, and he wouldn't get himself into trouble...

He satisfied himself, though, by stalking back towards the men to throw away his crumpled water cup. Sending them both a long glare, he stepped within a foot of them. "Watch where you talk, assholes. You never know who may be listening." He growled low. Then, without missing a beat, he whipped around and left them with stunned, fearful looks crawling across their features.

Shaking the discontent out of his face, he returned to his seat.

Kagome grinned at him, speaking to him as she signed another autograph. "What was that all about? We had to hold back the incoming fangirls with dogs while you were away," she quipped.

"....It was nothing...." He grumbled, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. He did a double-take, to see if she really looked as much like Kikyo as he had first thought. No.....for him, the two had become almost different beyond recognition. Kagome had a strange fire in her eyes that made her an entirely separate entity.

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Kagome took a ling sip of cool water from the crystal glass, enjoying the way it slid down her throat. She wondered to herself if it would be wrong of her to run her finger along the edge of her glass to make noise in the middle of the restaurant, and entertained the idea for a moment. She decided quickly against it.

She didn't think that Kouga would appreciate it.

Kouga flashed her a toothy smile. Had he been speaking to her? Chastising herself, she realized that she hadn't been paying attention. Here, Kouga had paid for a nice dinner for both of them, and she thanked him by pondering the auditory qualities of her water glass. She sighed quietly, steeling herself to listen to his story.

Within a minute, her mind had drifted off under it's own will. No matter how hard she was working to keep up with Kouga's talk, her thoughts quickly moved on to other topics. The chief topic in her mind seemed to be Inuyasha. Watching the other man's mouth move quickly, her brain began conjuring up memories of their conversations from the autograph signing.

But, why was it so hard for her to enjoy Kouga's company as much as Inuyasha's? They were both handsome, popular actors who both shared the same set with her day by day. The answers came quicker than she expected, as Kouga's brash words rolled over her.

_-Kouga's just not.....the same...- _He wasn't all the things that made Inuyasha so unique. The simplicity and honesty and mysterious tragedy just weren't a part of Kouga. He didn't have those eyes either.....the round lips and the strong jaw.

She shook herself a little, noticing where her mind was going.

Suddenly, she realized that Kouga had paused, and was staring at her expectantly. He had just asked her a question.

She flashed him a startled smile, pretending like she had heard. "Er.....Yes! I totally agree!"

Kouga looked at her quizzically, his eyebrows raised. "....I just asked you what you wanted to eat....."

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Kagome twirled in the tall boardroom chair for a moment, lazily tapping her nails on the long table. Since that first cast meeting there, she had become used to the soft lightly and the stern feel of the room, and she no longer felt intimidated by it.

Today, Hiten had called her and Inuyasha in to meet with him about upcoming scenes for the next week's show. Too bad that neither had shown up yet. She rolled her eyes in the empty room, entertaining herself by humming lightly and peering out the long window behind her.

Without warning, the door swung open, and Inuyasha plunked down into the chair next to her. She nodded a greeting at him, only then noticing the dissatisfied pout that shadowed his face.

She quirked and eyebrow at him. "What is it?"

He snorted at her, then turned away angrily.

She frowned, confused. "What did I do?"

"You let that slimy....wimp.....take you out for dinner?!"

"Kouga's not a wimp! He's not slimy either." Kagome then let out a surprised laugh, seeing Inuyasha's reddening face. "Wait- let me get this straight- you're mad at me because I went on a date....with Kouga?!"

Inuyasha frowned deeper, whipping around to glare at her. "It was a date?"

"Why should it matter to you if it was a date or not? It's not like it's any of your business!"

Inuyasha's mouth twisted stubbornly, so that he almost looked like a little kid throwing a tantrum. "I never said it was my business...." He struggled, defensively. "I just think that you should....be careful around him...that's all."

Kagome groaned. "I can't believe you! I can handle myself just fine around Kouga! You're acting like a two-year-old!"

Inuyasha's frown deepened further, as his eyebrow twitched in annoyance. He shut up, though, not turning to face Kagome's eyes. She threw up her hands in frustration, then turned to face away from him with a huff.

As the tension in the room simmered dangerously, Hiten chose the moment to walk into the boardroom. Even he, with his absent-minded nature with struck with the heavy annoyance lingering between them. "Whoa...did I interrupt anything?"

"NO." They both practically shouted in unison.

Hiten shrugged a little, turning his eyes to the script he held in his hands.

"OK....well....I just wanted to inform you two of a couple important changes in the plot starting next week. You both will be having more and more scenes together as time goes on."

Inuyasha grunted a little, still irritated. "What? Am I going to get to murder Kouga or something?" Kagome shot him a warning glare.

Hiten looked a little surprised, though they both could see that new ideas were churning in his brain with the suggestion. "No, no.....nothing of the sort...at least, not yet! It's just that your character, Inuyasha, has been hunting down Kouga and Kagome for quite some time in order to get revenge over Ayame's death.....but in the process, you and Kagome have, well...... 'noticed' each other...."

"... 'Noticed'....?" Kagome repeated the word hesitantly.

Inuyasha arched an eyebrow. "So...what kind of scenes are we going to be doing together....?"

Kagome swallowed hard, a little dread creeping into her veins.

Hiten smiled brightly, pushing a copy of the next show's script to each of them. "Next week, Inuyasha- you're going to seduce Kagome!"

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

**A/N:** BWAH! I can't wait to write Chapter 8! It's going to totally rock....it's so much fun to put these characters in such precarious positions ; )

So, did you like the developments in this chapter? Even in you feel like flaming me, I'll be happy to hear from you- so USE THAT REVIEW BOX! Write something helpful- something daring- something SEXY! I'll love you for it!

.....Stay tuned for Chapter 8, called "Passions".....

Some notes to reviewers:

Radical Dreamer: I'm glad you saw my message, and came over here to read it! I hope you liked this chappie...

Raelene: You're a sweetheart....can I marry you? ; )

Also, thanks to Super Hyper Anime Lover, ilvsimplepln2, KittySamurai506, allin656, and vikki for reviewing on chapter 6!


	8. Chapter 8: Passions

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Inuyasha! I own this figment of my imagination that I can put into fan fiction, but that's the full extent of it.....A sad life I do live... ; )  
  
**A/N:** Big WOW. I am totally bowled over by the huge response from chapter 7. I doubled my number of reviews within the span of three days, and it feels good! Thanks so much to everyone who commented or made suggestions or asked questions. It encourages me to do a better job so I can make you all happy!  
  
This chapter was pretty challenging to write. At first, when I began, I thought "Man, I've really backed myself into a corner. I gotta make this REALLY good, in a short amount of time...." But, when I actually sat down to write, all my ideas just poured out. So, please enjoy- and don't forget to tell me what you think!!  
  
**"Shards of Our Memories"  
  
CHAPTER 8: Passions**  
  
Kagome twitched slightly, her brain still on overdrive.  
  
Inuyasha was going to....seduce her?  
  
Needless to say, that had created quite the uncomfortable atmosphere in the board room- and, unbeknownst to Hiten, the tension had increased a hundredfold. As soon as Hiten had finished speaking to them, Kagome had found a reason to bolt. She and Inuyasha hadn't talked since then.  
  
Sango sighed loudly to get her attention. "What's on your mind, Kagome? You've been really quiet today."  
  
"....Nothing.....just....thinking about things....."  
  
"Is it about that scene with Inuyasha?"  
  
Kagome jolted, shooting Sango a suspicious look. "How do you know about that?!"  
  
Sango laughed, seeing her friend's face. "How _wouldn't_ I know about it? There's so much gossip around here, I couldn't keep out of your business if I tried....Anyway, it's a scene in the show....it's not like it's a secret or anything."  
  
Kagome blew her bangs out of her face, irritably, regaining her composure. "Yeah, I forgot....I guess I am kind of worried about...that scene."  
  
"Any particular reason?"  
  
Kagome fumbled with the cloth of her skirt for a moment. "Er....you know....normal acting things...like.....how will it turn up on camera....and will the audience believe it.....yeah....."  
  
Sango fixed her with a strange look. "You're worried about romance scenes? But, you do them so easily with Kouga...."  
  
Kagome flinched. "Yeah...well.....that's....." she mumbled something completely unintelligible.  
  
"...What'd you say?"  
  
Kagome blushed. "I said that...well, Inuyasha and Kouga different!"  
  
Sango remained silent for a moment, fiddling with Kagome's bangs. "You like him, don't you?" she asked knowingly. Kagome glared at the mirror, but chose not to answer. The red in her cheeks told Sango that she had hit it on the nose. The hairdresser smiled slyly to herself.  
  
After another minute or so of silence between the two, a knock came on the door. When they called the visitor in, Sango's face lit up in a devious smile.  
  
"Well, speak of the devil...." Kagome whipped around to see Inuyasha standing in her doorway. "I think I'll leave you two alone. I've...got some errands to run...."  
  
And, before Kagome could force her to stay, Inuyasha was staring back at her, a little bit of shame written across his face. She fixed him with an embarrassed glare, then turned away. "So why are you here? Decided you wanted to whine more about Kouga?"  
  
Inuyasha snorted. "I don't need to waste my breath on that asshole to show what an idiot he is!"  
  
Kagome rolled her eyes, looking over her shoulder at him. "...Then why DID you come?"  
  
Inuyasha colored a little in indignation, but he didn't lash out at her. "Because I thought we should....practice....."  
  
Kagome blanched, her stomach tightening just a little. "Practice?" she squeaked, her anger flowing away in surprise.  
  
Now it was his turn to act exasperated. "Well, it is an important scene, right? And we're filming in two days! It might be helpful if we at least could say our lines straight..."  
  
She nodded slowly, flushed. "I.....yeah....I guess you're right....."  
  
He looked taken aback at her sudden change in attitude, and became slightly fidgety. "So.....we could practice some of the lines together, if that's OK....unless.....you'd rather just practice it separately..." If she hadn't been embroiled in the uncomfortable situation, she might have laughed at how he looked like a wide-eyed child trying not to get in trouble.  
  
She picked up her script from her dressing table, shakily opening it to scene 5, in which Inuyasha's character would break into her room in order to seduce her. She looked at the stage directions with a mixed sort of dread and excitement. They were so....detailed.  
  
She turned back to Inuyasha with a nervous smile quirking the edges of her mouth.  
  
He grunted softly, also opening his script. "So.....I guess I'll be coming into the room, and you...uh....will be facing away from me..."  
  
She nodded silently, turning her back to him slowly.  
  
"And then....you say your line...."  
  
Kagome looked down at her script intently, finding her opening line. "'....Why did you come here, Alonzo?'"  
  
He was focused on his script, too, as if he didn't want to look up at her. "'You should know why I came....'" The line sounded stilted, unlike all the other times she had seen him act. For once, he hadn't dived headlong into the actions of the character, but was looking slightly embarrassed about the lines.  
  
She chewed on her lip, reading deeper into the stage directions. "So, then you'll come up behind me, and....uh.... 'take me in your arms'....."  
  
He slowly walked up to where she stood, and she could feel the warmth of his breath brush against the side of her cheek. Hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around her body, holding her lightly as if she was some kind of fragile object. Was he afraid that she would get angry with him? She had never seen Inuyasha act with anything but heedlessness- to see him cautious was confusing her.  
  
Ignoring how warm his arms were around her waist, she looked back at her script. "Then....I turn around to face you and say...."  
  
She turned around to meet his broad chest. Before she could even get her line out, they were interrupted. Kouga stood in the doorway, surprised horror written across his face.  
  
"Oh..." he grumbled. "I'll.....leave you two be....." He left quickly, down the hall.  
  
Both blushing deeply, Kagome and Inuyasha sprang apart, averting their eyes from each other uncomfortably.  
  
"Maybe we should just practice the lines for now...." Kagome suggested, meekly.  
  
Inuyasha nodded, dazed. "Sure....."  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Sango, of course, had not had any actual "errands" to run, but had been glad to provide Inuyasha and Kagome with some alone time. She had contented herself with filling a nice, steaming Styrofoam cup of coffee, and watching the set buzz with activity.  
  
"So, Kagome isn't here?"  
  
Sango almost sloshed her coffee in surprise as Miroku Inoue stepped up beside her. She blew a sigh of relief, before fixing him with a frown of disapproval. "She's in her dressing room with Inuyasha."  
  
Miroku raised his eyebrows. "Alone?!"  
  
She looked at him wryly. "Yes, alone."  
  
Miroku shook his head sadly, and then his face broke into a large grin. "Well, I guess it can't be helped! If Kagome is busy with Inuyasha, I guess we're stuck here together!" Sango noticed that he didn't sound in the least bit disappointed at the thought.  
  
Sango shot him a dry stare over her coffee. "Don't you have any other clients?"  
  
Miroku scratched the back of his head with a rueful grin on his face. "Ah..well...none so important and successful as Kagome...or as beautiful as you, Sango!"  
  
Sango reddened slightly, and she kept her eyes on the cup in her hands. "Isn't there someone else you could be annoying right now?" she said half- heartedly.  
  
He thought for a long moment, then winked cheekily at her. "Well, I suppose that I could leave you alone...if you'd agree to have dinner with me!"  
  
Sango looked up at him in surprise. "So....er...if I agree to this dinner thing...you'll try to bug me less....AND keep control of those wandering hands of yours?" She glared pointedly.  
  
Miroku grinned. "I will do the best I can, my sweet!"  
  
Sango tried to ignore his term of endearment, and struggled to regain her stoic glance as he smiled down at her. Finally, she was forced to relent. She sighed, still fighting off her blush.  
  
"Then, I guess there's no other choice...."  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
So, why WAS she so nervous?  
  
It was the scheduled day of filming for her and Inuyasha's scene, and Kagome couldn't help treating it as if it was some huge leap for them. She fluffed up her bangs in the mirror, and puffed her cheeks in frustration, feeling uncharacteristically worried about her appearance.  
__

_Stop being foolish..._she warned herself, glaring resolutely into the mirror._ It's nothing but a stupid scene. It's no different from anything you've ever done with Kouga!_

__  
But another half of her consciousness nagged at her, remembering the awkward way that they had struggled to practice the scene together, just two days earlier. When he had come to wrap his arms around her, she had almost panicked with how right it felt. They were just actors, right? So, acting out romance like this wasn't supposed to feel this close to home. It was part of her profession to be able to push her personal emotions to the back of her mind while putting on a different persona. That's just what she would have to force herself to do today.  
  
_Besides....it's not as if Inuyasha feels anything towards you_.Her inner thoughts flew around wildly, as the butterflies began to increase. _If you think about him that way, you'll only get your hopes up._  
  
Finally feeling satisfied at the placement of her hair, she adjusted the short skirt around her waist, smoothed the collar of her shirt, and made her way out into the hubbub of the set.  
  
Inuyasha watched Kagome closely as she entered the room. His mind in a similar state of disarray, his eyes couldn't help but wander to admire her shapely legs as she moved towards the stage. He rubbed his eyes a little to snap out of it, reminding himself that if they were going to accomplish the scene correctly, he couldn't have any of that nervousness that he had felt before.  
  
She smiled shyly at him as she approached. "Are you ready...?" she asked, quietly, her tone more subdued than usual.  
  
He looked back at her, managing to stay calm, even though the memory of feeling her within his arms was replaying in his head. He nodded.  
  
"Kagome.." he said her name softly. "Don't feel nervous at all." He said it sternly, though his face was gentler than normal.  
  
They locked eyes for a moment, and then she nodded her understanding. "Thank you." She felt warmed by the idea that he cared, and a sense of calm washed over her as his gold eyes radiated strength.  
  
And then Hiten and the cameramen were ready for them. Kagome and Inuyasha took their places on the set. Kagome took a deep breath in, reviewing her lines speedily within her mind.  
  
"Action!"  
  
Inuyasha entered on the scene swiftly, behind her. Kagome couldn't see him, but sensed his eyes boring into the back of her head.  
  
"'Why have you come here, Alonzo...?'" The line came out shakily.  
  
"'You should know why I came.'" Contrary to the way that they had practiced it before, the deep resonance of his voice sent a shiver up her spine.  
  
And this was the part where he was supposed to take her in his arms. Silently, Kagome held her breath, waiting for the hesitant arms to reach her again. But this time, like his voice, his arms were far more insistent. With one step, he was behind her, his strong fingers pressing her waist and shoulders into his warm torso. Kagome leaned back into him, wide-eyed at how the heat of his breath splayed across the back of her neck.  
  
It took her a moment of shocked surprise at the feeling to remember that she had a line. "'What are you doing, Alonzo? We can't....do...this...'" She had turned around to face him, as the stage directions had asked, and she lifted her shining, dark eyes to meet his.  
  
Inuyasha's golden eyes were faintly reminiscent of two burning coals, shimmering with emotion, and he locked eyes with Kagome. She was caught for a moment, trying to read his expression. Was it possible that Inuyasha, too was feeling nervous?  
  
"'It's too perfect to deny, baby...'"  
  
She felt the rumble of his voice, which seemed to have dropped at least two octaves, in the muscles beneath her fingertips. Even if he was in character, those daring words had come straight from the mouth of Inuyasha. Her cheeks flamed.  
  
Slowly, sensuously, he dipped his head to tug at her lower lip with his teeth. Gently cradling her head in his hands, he pried entrance into her mouth to lavish her tongue. Kagome blushed deeply, the air rushing from her lungs. His lips on hers were sending bolts of electricity into the pit of her stomach.  
  
He continued hesitantly, waiting for her reaction. After a few more moments under the slow torture of his tongue, Kagome melted into his embrace, her arms finding a way around his waist to clutch tighter at him. Kagome began to kiss him back insistently, enjoying the way his kisses made every nerve in her brain sing with pleasure.  
  
Breathing heavily, he pulled back slightly, leaving Kagome's lips for a moment. Watching her face intently, Inuyasha began to tug at his own shirt. For the small break in their heated kisses, it dawned on her once again that they were not alone, but under a spotlight in front of an audience.  
  
And Inuyasha was stripping his button-down shirt, revealing the toned lines of his chest and arms. She gulped deeply as her eyes widened considerably. Her eyes couldn't help but roam hungrily as she admired the beauty of his body. Hastily dropping his shirt to the floor, Inuyasha clung to her again.  
  
He buried his face into the crook of her neck, began leaving sweet butterfly kisses along her jaw line. Kagome bit her lip hard, reaching for him, while running her fingers lightly up and down his spine. He shivered at her touch, grunting into the skin of her shoulder, as the muscles beneath her hands flexed.  
  
Inuyasha's lips returned to hers, and Kagome's mouth burned with the heat of his lips and his daring tongue. His hands suddenly became wilder, as if they had a life of their own. As he delved into her mouth, his fingers gripped the backs of her thighs, sending a new thrill through her senses.  
  
He dug his hands roughly at the edge of her skirt. Vaguely, she thought of how his movements weren't the ones that had been described in the script. But, as he yanked one of her legs to his side in order to draw her closer, her mind forgot to care about that tiny detail.  
  
She felt herself caught up in the spirit of the moment- in the heat of their bodies pressed together, and the hardness of the muscle under her fingertips. Tentatively, she began to kiss his throat, moving her hands to run up the planes of his chest and the sides of his arms.  
  
Kagome's mind spun as he rewarded her actions by breathing out a quiet groan into the side of her head. Inuyasha struggled inwardly in order to not speak her name aloud. She clutched onto him with a firmer grip, as she felt dizzy with the heady passion that was rising in her, choking her breath and blinding her. She staggered into him, lost completely, as he grabbed at her lips once again.  
  
And, somewhere, out of the haziness of their passion, she heard another voice calling out to her.  
  
"....And, CUT!"  
  
It took them both a few seconds to realize again that they had been under the watchful eye of their director. Inuyasha and Kagome stood, dazed in each other's arms. They stared back at each other, hesitantly, their breaths still mingling hotly. As the realization dawned on them, they slowly began to entangle their limbs from each other with a kind of fearful regret. Kagome detached her hands from around Inuyasha's neck, and he slid his hands from her legs, and they moved apart.  
  
Hiten, along with the band of watchers next to the stage, were giving them looks that were mixtures of awe and satisfaction.  
  
Kagome blushed hotly, her mind rushing to how her hair must have looked, standing on end, and her clothing, rumpled and mussed beyond recognition. For a brief time, she had totally lost herself in the feeling of having Inuyasha so close to her. Her goal had been to separate herself emotionally from the scene, but, instead, she had just been dragged in deeper.  
  
The fog began lifting as the embarrassment returned, and she sneaked a glance at Inuyasha. His heavy-lidded amber eyes were now clearing of the momentary glaze, and he looked every bit as dazed as she. They were both breathing heavily.  
  
Inuyasha turned his eyes to her, and she was sure that he shared the same confusion as she did. She drew in a deep breath, catching a lingering and burning look of longing within his gaze. Unthinking, he licked his lips. The little shiver in her spine returned.  
  
As Hiten praised their acting in the scene, he proclaimed that they would have no need to re-shoot. The helpers began working around Kagome and Inuyasha, who were rooted to their spots.  
  
"....Good job..." Inuyasha spoke quietly, his voice carrying an air of huskiness.  
  
She nodded back to him, touching her lips lightly as if to reminisce about how his mouth had felt on hers.  
  
"....You too." She whispered.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
**A/N:** SOOOO much fan-service! ::readers die from overload::  
  
**WHEW.** Is it hot in here or is it just....Inuyasha? That was fun to write, though I hope it didn't come off like a bad cliché citrus-y scene. I was just writing what I felt might happen in the situation...Jeez! Those kids sure get carried away. I guess he'd have to be a pretty darn good kisser if she forgot there was a camera in her face!  
  
Also, I've gotten a few questions about when the truth behind the Kikyo "accident" will be revealed. In due time, my friends, in due time. It's obviously a sore subject, so Inuyasha won't reveal it to Kagome right away. When he's ready, he'll do it (no, I haven't forgotten about it XD).  
  
So, hope you enjoyed the sexiness of a shirtless Inuyasha, and please let me know what you think (even if it IS to gripe about how lame my romance scenes are!)

while trying to edit this chapter, I lost all of my responses to my readers, and now I feel like an idiot! Ok, I originally responded with a little note to everyone who reviewed on chapter 7, but.....now it's not here. Well- thanks to everyone who did review! Maybe soon I'll get a chance to rewrite those responses....but right now....not in the mood.


	9. Chapter 9: Miroku's Hope

**DISCLAIMER: **You know, he's even in my dreams...so why can't he actually be in my house? I don't own Inuyasha, and the prospects aren't currently looking so good ;)

**A/N: bwaaah! **This fic was just put up for Fanfic Elimination! That's one of the biggest honors I could have imagined! There are currently 26 Inuyasha fics that will be competing against each other in weekly elimination, and "Shards" is one of them. Please check out the site through the link in my profile. And, I would be so grateful if you could vote once voting gets underway. Though...I'm surprised enough that I was just nominated....I called my friend on the phone and screamed for about 10 minutes about how cool it was.

Well, it seems as if everyone enjoyed "Passions." Dude, I worked so hard on that love scene, that I swear I even had a dream about it. Every detail is now permanently ingrained in my memory...and, is that a bad thing? Oooh goodness no! Shirtless Inuyasha is certainly not something to complain about! So glad it tickled other people's fancy!

But, I blather. We must continue on to what is always most important- the future. This chapter focuses on two storylines- Inuyasha, and Miroku and Sango's long-awaited dinner date. And to let you know, I planned this fic out to be 12 chapters. So, please read and give me a holler once you're done! Thanks for reading

"**Shards of Our Memories"**

**CHAPTER 9: Miroku's Hope**

Sango carefully adjusted her silky shirt, her eyes attuned to every detail of her eye makeup and the delicate curl of her dark hair. It looked all right, didn't it? She gave herself a flat and self-deprecating look in the mirror, cursing the thought that she had accepted Miroku's invitation on a whim.

There was so much about him that held her in her state of doubt. He was a pervert, albeit a charming one. So far he hadn't taken the time to listen to her complaints about his behavior. Most of all, Miroku was completely and utterly unpredictable. Sango didn't like to get into any situation when she didn't know the possible risks. Maybe that was the reason she was growing antsy.

Sango was worried, to say the least.

X x x x x x x x x x x x x

Three blocks away, Miroku and his old Bertha rolled awkwardly on the cool asphalt. He patiently pressed the gas pedal, easing the car into the parking lot beside Sango's apartment building. A rush of unusual anticipation thrilled through his spine. Giving himself one last glance in the reflection of the rearview mirror, Miroku slammed the car door shut, and headed towards the building's entrance.

Sango jumped a foot as the doorbell rang, startled out of her thoughts. He was here to pick her up! She blew out steadily, nagging herself that she should just get the night over with as quickly as possible. After all, the only reason she had accepted the date was so that she could be rid of the thorn in her side that was Miroku Inoue...right?

She opened the door in a wide swing, dread coursing through her veins...and was taken back by what she saw. Any casual observer might have taken the scene as a romantic greeting between a couple- and Sango didn't put it past her neighbors not to be enjoying the view. Miroku looked nothing less than gorgeous. His lean frame was accentuated by a sleek, black, fitted suit, and his shiny hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail at the nape of his neck. What was more, with a soft smile, he was holding out a bouquet of daisies to her.

Sango stared at the bunch of white-and-yellow flowers for a few seconds, stunned into speechlessness. She inspected them in disbelief, as if they were somehow going to explode in her face. Finally, her brain registered that Miroku had actually performed a genuinely sweet gesture, and was not fondling her behind.

"Thank you..." she muttered softly, lifting the bouquet from his outstretched arms, and gently placing them on the small table beside her door. Trying to find a way to join him without feeling like this was some large setup, Sango hesitantly locked her door behind her and stepped out into the hallway.

Miroku thoughtfully extended his elbow to her, his eyes wrinkling in a warm smile. "Good evening, Sango. You look absolutely lovely tonight." Sango still remained wordless. "Is it a surprise that I clean up so well?" He winked at her.

Sango stared at him, wondering why she felt like blushing. Tentatively, she placed her fingers in the warm crook of his arm. She turned her eyes to watch her heels click on the sidewalk below them. Better than meeting his gaze. "I have to admit....I am surprised by everything. You look nice."

Miroku laughed jovially, his eyes twinkling brighter. "Oh, so you finally admit that you find me attractive?"

"Don't push your luck." But this time, she giggled a little. Was this really what Miroku was like one-on-one?

The two made their way to the parking lot, and saw Miroku's beat-up car. It was always the perfect icebreaker, he had found. "Your chariot awaits, m'lady." With dramatic flourish, Miroku gestured to the piece of junk then solemnly opened the passenger door for her. Even Sango couldn't help but laugh.

Sango buckled her seatbelt with care, hoping the metal hinging wouldn't break off in her hands. "So, where are we going to dinner?" she asked, conversationally.

Miroku smiled secretively to himself, as he rounded the corner. "It's a surprise." He winked at her. Great- a trip into the unknown. Who knew what could happen from here on out.

But a small part of Sango was willing to find out.

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Inuyasha was smiling to himself- something that had been a rare occasion for quite some time. But the smile had been there for hours now, lingering as his thoughts wandered. His brother might have determined that he had finally gone off the deep end, if he had seen Inuyasha. This day had been enjoyable because of one person and one person only- Kagome. Inuyasha couldn't hide the giddy and boyish smile that tickled his lips. He had had a hard time not flashing back to the love scene filmed the other day.

His feelings for Kagome had hit him like a time bomb. He had told himself many times that he wouldn't be interested in her, and that she was someone who could be easily forgotten once he had served his "jail time" with the studios. But it had been uncanny how her image just _stuck _in his mind.

He had barely been able to control himself when she was so close to him- and it almost frightened him. The scene was written detail by detail, staged in order to make it comfortable for the actors. He had gotten all _too _comfortable with the scene. The lines themselves were ill-placed to him, but the feral stare and the huskiness he had added- that had been real. Of course, until they had practiced together, Inuyasha had planned to approach it as if it were any another scene. But, the moment her slender curves were pressed against him...and then he saw the same anticipation in her eyes...it had been one long downward spiral.

And thinking that she might have felt the same way made it all the more easy to fall into the rhythm of the scene. As soon as they had kissed for the first time on stage, the script details had been lost in a fuzz of desire. It was a feeling he hadn't felt for over three years. It had tugged at him, pulling him deeper as she kissed back and ran her hands up his body, curling in a heady fog around his senses. And had it been his imagination that she looked pleased afterwards?

He smirked idly to himself. Had he really done that to her?

He wondered what she was doing right then. If he was right, and she felt the same way about him, was she also thinking these same thoughts? His smirk sobered slightly, as his thoughts jabbed at him. Could she actually feel the same as him? This intensity of desire and jubilation...Maybe it was a false hope to think that she would care for him after the way he had treated her. In fact, he knew in his heart that she deserved much more than a washed-up recluse had to offer.

But he had decided that nothing would ruin his mood today. Besides, if he wanted to find out her true feelings, there was never a better time than like the present. He was feeling emboldened by his memories of their flirtatious conversations, and how she had lately found excuses to be alone with him. In fact, she had given him her phone number after their autograph signing at the mall, kindly telling him to contact her "just in case."

_Well, here's my "just in case," _he thought wryly to himself.

He distinctly remembered stuffing the scrap of paper with her phone number scrawled on it into a pocket of one of his suit jackets. Inuyasha moved lightly to the hall closet to retrieve the paper. As he flung open the door, he blocked a barrage of items falling from the top shelf. Waving the collected dust out from under his nose, and coughing violently, he cursed himself aloud for not ever cleaning it out. Ten years' worth of moldy junk must have been stuffed up there. This was exactly why he needed a maid.

Sidestepping the fallen wreckage, he dug into his coat to find the paper. After a moment of fishing, he came up successfully with a crumpled piece of paper, and he let out a small cry of victory. Inuyasha then leaned down to pick up the clutter at his feet, taking extra time to sift his fingers through the mess.

Suddenly, a lone piece of paper caught his eye. He crumpled Kagome's phone number tightly in his fist, as he slowly took in the words on the paper. He blanched, and he choked on the air that rushed out of his lungs.

Why in the world had he kept this?

X x x x x x x x x x x x

Miroku's taste in restaurants was expert, Sango noticed, feeling impressed. It heavily belied his taste in cars. The place was candlelit but cheery, carpeted in rich blues and reds, and while busy, it had an intimate feel. She remained silent as he chivalrously pulled out her chair for her. Every one of his actions had remained gentlemanly thus far.

As they settled into their seats, poising their menus upright, Sango pierced his bright eyes with hers. "So, how long do you plan to keep up this charade, Mr. Inoue?" She tried to fix him with her best disapproving stare- the one that always got the truth out of her little brother.

Miroku looked somewhat offended by the question, but his eyes still twinkled back at her. "Would you believe me if I told you it wasn't a charade?"

Sango raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "If it's not a ploy for some ulterior motive, then why are you doing it?"

Miroku broke into a wide grin, though the tone of his voice reflected complete sincerity. "I wanted to show you that there's more to me than flirtation or stupidity. I've been hoping to get to know you better for quite sometime now...and most of all, I wanted to give you a special night out."

Sango took a sip of her water, but looked pleased at the straight answer he had given her. "Fair enough," she stated. "To be honest..." she began again, looking deep into the violet depths. "I was nervous about coming, since I didn't know what to expect. But, I'm beginning to think I'll be pleasantly surprised."

Miroku returned that same dazzling smile as always. It usually made her want to squirm. This time it was different, though. Sango felt comfortable that he would smile at her this way. Because she now understood that he was genuinely interested in _her..._and not just in certain parts of her female anatomy.

The waiter arrived soon to take their order, looking distinguished and airy in his starched shirt and suit paints. When their order had been completed, and the champagne delivered to their table, the two turned their conversation, falling easily into banter about various topics.

"So, how did you become a talent agent?" Sango asked, her mood feeling lighter. Was it just the champagne? Maybe it was the way she felt he was an old friend, that there was a mutual trust growing between them as they spoke.

"Well, I originally was studying to be a lawyer..."

"You bloodsucker..." Sango giggled.

Miroku rolled his eyes. "But, I guess it didn't really work out as I had planned. I was close to taking the bar exam, but my finances were running out quickly, and I had so many student loans. I had to put myself through law school, and when the going got tough, I had to give it up. That's when I found a job as an assistant in a large talent agency. I met Kagome there- she was just starting out at that time. That was almost seven years ago..." He took a sip of champagne, settling back comfortably in his chair.

"It so happened that Kagome was looking for an independent agent to work with, and I agreed to break off from the firm to help her out. With my knowledge of contracts and legal tactics from law school, and my degree in business, it became natural for me to work on my own. Plus, I had learned all the intricacies of the business through my work at the other agency."

Sango looked impressed. "Wow....you did all that yourself?"

Miroku nodded modestly. "Yeah, I guess I did. But if it hadn't been for Kagome's success, and Rin's loyalty, I'd be nowhere. I still am a nothing, comparatively."

Sango tutted lightly. "I don't think of you as a nothing."

Miroku laughed heartily. "Well, that means a lot, coming from you."

They were interrupted momentarily, as the busboy whisked their well-arranged plates in front of them. Eyeing his food with interest, Miroku turned to conversation to Sango. "And you- did you always want to be a hair and makeup artist?"

Sango looked reflective for a second as she thought. "No, nothing of the sort. I always wanted to be a ballerina." She laughed at herself. "But, as you can see, that dream didn't fly. I was like you- I had to put myself through college. My parents died when my brother was young, and I had to take care of him myself. Beauty school came as the most convenient option for me- and the cheapest.

"But, I do enjoy my work. It does require artistic flare and talent. It's brought me to many avenues...and I have met so many wonderful people."

Miroku nodded. "You seem very good at what you do." He curled a few strands of pasta around his fork. "I also noticed that we have three things in common."

Sango smiled. "We do?"

He nodded affirmatively. "Well, both of our parents died when we were young. And we also both came into our professions by chance."

"And the third...?"

Miroku grinned slyly. "We both are glad that you said yes to tonight."

Sango scowled as if she had been outwitted in some game, but in turn smiled widely at him. "I hate to admit it," she shook her head, "but I've enjoyed tonight. Thank you for this, Mr. Inoue."

Miroku leveled her with his gaze. "It's Miroku."

Sango blushed, looking down at her food. "...Miroku."

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Inuyasha exhaled a shaky breath. He crouched down, his body suddenly feeling heavy. Tentatively extending his hand, he slid he paper from the hardwood floor as if it was some vile, dead object. All of his previous thoughts of Kagome had been completely wiped from his mind, as he read the headline on the page torn from a tabloid, once more.

"_Shocking Evidence Found Against Inuyasha Tanaka in the Death of Ex-Lover, Kikyo."_

He screamed mentally against the printed words. What had happened to Kikyo was an accident. It had been confirmed by police reports, and it was something he had told himself time and time again. He knew it to be true. But, no matter how much or how often he told himself otherwise, the guilt was hard to wash away.

To bring up these old wounds again, even if through the lies of a grocery store tabloid...it just made him lose a part of his resolve. Seeing the paper made him remember the searing pain and hate that he had felt these three long years. Hate of himself...the cruelty of the world...the press that only cared about getting their juicy stories, no matter who they had to step on to get them. He had almost been able to forget all of this, while daydreaming of Kagome. The all-too-familiar feeling of lost helplessness welled up in his throat again.

If Kikyo were here, would she feel sad that he had been able to let go of her memory so easily?

He took a long look at Kagome's telephone number, wrinkled almost beyond recognition within his grasp.

_Not today, Kagome, _he spoke in his mind. He didn't feel as if he could face her at the moment.

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

**A/N: **Sango is such a lucky girl, though it's taken a while for her to realize it. I was once asked the question "What Inuyasha character would you like to go to dinner with?" Miroku- beyond all possible doubt. I mean, Inuyasha is cool and all, but I know he'd hate my guts...In fact, he'd probably murder me. No matter what, Miroku would make me feel beautiful!

And- see! I totally remembered that Kikyo is really a part of this plot! Next chapter, it'll all unravel, and you'll discover exactly where Inuyasha's pain and guilt comes from. GAH! But he didn't _call_ her! Kagome's probably at home wishing he would call her...but alas....plot devices dashed her hopes. Blame me and my Evil Author-ness.

Let me hear your words of wisdom, O Generous and Kindly Reader, and stay tuned for Chapter 10, "My Guiding Light."

Responses to my lovely reviewers:

**::Ivy Adrena::** Just the fact that you even considered making a fanart for this fic totally rocks my world! I'm glad you approved**!::Ilvsimplepln2::** yes woohoo! Hehe of course I'll keep going! **::Trillian:: **So, how was that freezer? I'm glad you didn't feel dirty...that means I did my job correctly ; ) **::Sarcasm Girl8:: **An author? Well, I guess I already am one(fanfic author)...and I did write a book long ago...but that's a different story...I would love to write for a living. **::Carla::** here's a towel for that drool **::allin656::**look for more iy/k stuff next chapter **::Pobbin::** I couldn't agree more! **::WillowSeth::** You're welcome **::Avid Reader::** I've seen it before...but, thank you for letting me bask in it's glory once again. I wouldn't mind having a poster-sized version of that! Haha **::Hye-Min::** ::waves hands frantically to cool down Hye-Min:: **::luckykittykagome::** I can get used to your rambling, because it's nice rambling. Thanks so much for taking the time to review! **::Sarahlovesdbz::** yay! It's not lame! **::me!::** I am also a romance fanatic! I'll try to please you as best I can...** ::Radical Dreamer:: **they act well, don't they? **::Princess Missa::** thank you! **::storylover 101::** hehe that line was fun to put in there..just imagine him saying that to you....then taking off his shirt. **::kittysamurai506::** hehe "wake up!" **::awesomew::** I'm glad you liked it. You'll find out about kikyo soon. **::Jade the Fairyness::** I've recently become a soap fan myself. Solely because I like to watch them to see if I can find a scene and/or characters that remotely resemble to ones in this fic...I'm crazy, aren't I?


	10. Chapter 10: My Guiding Light

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha... 

**A/N: **Whoops! Well it's been almost a month since I posted last chapter, but being so busy with school and all, plus writing three other plot lines at the same time, means that I have less time for this story (though I still love it! My wonderful brainchild!) It took me a while to figure out exactly how to write this chapter, but I'm glad it turned out the way it did. It's quite normal- no huge cliffhangers or anything- but prepared for the doozy next chapter...it'll get a little more emotional...

And, right now...the new set of nominees for Season 5 of Fanfiction Elimination is now pending...this story may end up being nominated for the competition...so, if I do get to go head-to-head with other fics, I hope you'll all follow the link in my profile to vote for me! If I do get through, I'll probably repost this chapter so you guys will be notified.

Please review! Thanks!

"Shards of Our Memories" 

**CHAPTER 10: My Guiding Light**

Had he been thinking about her all weekend, the way she had thought about him? Kagome had spent her time shopping with Rin, talking to her mother over the phone, doing menial chores at home...but her mind had been preoccupied throughout each task. She had an undeniable pang of desire to see Inuyasha again...more than ever, every time his picture floated into her mind, so did other thoughts....the feel of his fingers on her arms, her waist, in her hair. The caresses of his demanding lips.

Kagome felt that she was good at not lying to herself. There had been a connection, right? Otherwise all those things, all those feelings...she wouldn't feel them so strongly. Her heart fluttered with a small excitement. Inuyasha and her would be acting in a scene together today. She would ask him....well, she didn't know quite what her plan was, but she knew that her spirits were soaring at the moment.

_And Sango...I wonder if she's recovered yet from the shock of Miroku on a date.._ she hadn't spoken to her friend either...not since the afternoon before their date. She hoped deeply that Miroku had been intelligent enough to reveal his beautiful side to Sango, and her the same. She had noticed that they both had a bad habit of letting their insecurities get the best of them, and closing off their real selves to those around them. They deserved each other.

_Rap, rap._

Kagome saw it was Kouga at her doorway, through the mirror's reflection. He looked hesitant, moody, his deep blue-green eyes flashing.

"Hey, Kouga...." She said, brightly, waving him in. "Know your lines for today's shoot?"

He nodded with a small pout. _Great...he and Inuyasha really _are _too much alike sometimes..._

"You know, Kagome..." he said, the wavering in his voice belying his bravado. "I...really like you..."

She nodded slowly. She was wary of what direction her was heading in.

"But, you're interested in....Inuyasha....aren't you?" He tried not to sound disgusted when he said it.

Kagome flushed. Nobody except Sango really knew the truth about her feelings. Had it been obvious to everyone around them, or was Kouga just extra-perceptive because of his crush on her? She hadn't even admitted her feelings for Inuyasha out loud yet. She gulped, Kouga's eyes pleading for an answer.

Was this what would show him that she wasn't interested in anything from him other than friendship? She smiled regretfully as she nodded. "I do...like Inuyasha....a lot..."

Kouga nodded reflectively in response, looking a little dejected. Then, his old shine returning to his face, he grabbed her hands, squeezing them tight between his own. "Well, then...I just hope you know that relationships don't always work out the way you want them to...so if that jerk Inuyasha tries anything stupid....I'll always be here for you..." He aimed for a cocky grin, but failed.

Kagome grinned gratefully. He was actually letting her go- she couldn't believe it. "Of course, Kouga...thank you for understanding..." her voice was sweet and he blushed under her thanks.

He dropped her hands after a moment, and edged awkwardly towards the door. "So....be careful...."

"I will....thanks..."

"So, see you out at the stage." He lifted his hand in a wave that tried too hard to be casual, and then he left.

Kagome stared after him, her mind still processing exactly what had taken place. And, she blew out a sigh of relief. She really did like Inuyasha...she had actually admitted it aloud.

_"Outta my way, wimp..."_

_"I'll walk wherever I want to, asshole!_

_"Feh!"_

_SLAM._

Kagome rolled her eyes, as she heard the two macho voices drifting from down the hall, followed by the slam of the door. _Obviously, Inuyasha's here. _Despite her exasperation at his normal daily rudeness, her mind was recalling all the reasons she had been awaiting his arrival. Rolling off her chair, she quickly made her way to her doorway so she could meet him between their doors.

He didn't notice her as she watched him rush to his dressing room door.

"Hey." She said, lightly.

He spun around, looking surprised to see her there.

"Hey...are you OK, Inuyasha?" She noticed almost immediately how drawn and pale he looked, his eyes red-rimmed and strained. But, his face warmed as he looked down at her, a small smile pulling at the corners of his lips.

"Yeah..." he said, in an uncharacteristically soft fashion. "I'm just...tired...that's all."

"Are you sure?"

He snorted a little at her tone. "Yeah....yeah...I'm a barrel of monkeys, I'm so full of fun...thanks for asking, though..."

She glowed. A 'thanks' from Inuyasha was truly a miracle.

There was a brief silence in between them, as they searched for words to say. They both knew what they desired to tell the other...they just weren't easy words to speak.

"So..." she began, nibbling a little on her lip. She might as well come out with what she wanted to say. "Are you busy tomorrow night?"

His bright eyes widened in surprise. "Yeah...No...I mean...." He rolled his eyes at himself. "No, I don't have any plans tomorrow night. Why...?" The question was hopeful.

She smiled in a quiet way, and he watched, fascinated, as her cheeks turned slightly pink. "Do you....want to come over to my place for dinner? I was planning to make something special...and there's no point in just cooking for one..."

_Oh God, Kagome...you sound so desperate,_ she berated herself.

He smirked slightly, but nodded his acceptance. "I'd like that."

She felt a surge of happiness run through her. "Of course....if you're not feeling well, we can wait.." she stammered.

He held up his hands to silence her. "No, I really mean it...I feel just fine." A half truth.

And, without warning, Kagome placed her small, cool hand against Inuyasha's forehead. "You're sure that's not a fever? You look so flushed..."

Inuyasha wanted to respond that he wasn't blushing because of sickness.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

So, there he stood at her doorway, tempted to run away. Though the idea of being invited over to Kagome's apartment, to see her outside of work, and to be given an opportunity to further their relationship sounded utterly appealing...the truth was that he was frightened. It felt as if one false move on his part would make her realize what a big phony he was. He certainly wasn't any kind of dream man that Kagome deserved.

Besides, he still felt guilt lingering over him. Despite the excuse he had told Kagome about being "tired," his momentary lapse into his old depression weighed down on him. It was as if Kikyo's memory had a hold on him that he couldn't shake...was he really ready to shake it?

Raising a hesitant hand, he gently knocked on her door with his knuckles. Was he too early? Too late? Maybe this was a pity dinner....

And then, all of his fears were suddenly at ease. Kagome stood in front of him, looking the same way as she always did- fresh and beautiful. She was smiling sweetly, and the butterflies in his stomach settled down as he stepped inside.

"Can I take your jacket?" She asked, automatically reaching up to his shoulders to pull off the light windbreaker.

"Sure," he said, wriggling out of the coat with ease.

She disappeared into the hall closet, slipping his jacket onto a hanger. "I hope you don't mind a little bit of a mess!" Her muffled voice sounded from the hall. "I didn't have much time to clean up. And...I'm sure it's a bit smaller than what you're used to..." she blushed, self-consciously, "but, I think it's cozy."

He looked around at the soft portraits of beach landscapes, light blue furniture, and scrubbed floors, squeezed in between the apartment walls. It was warm and welcoming, no matter how small it was. "No...I think it's nice." In fact, Inuyasha was sure he already liked it much better than being alone in his own sprawling house.

Smiling gratefully, Kagome clasped her hands together. "I'm glad! Well, I was just beginning to make dinner, so if you want to help me..." She bustled into the compact kitchen, and Inuyasha followed.

He grinned at her back, watching her fumble through the back of her refrigerator shelves to find various ingredients. "What are we making?" he asked, lightly, fingering the chipped edge of the countertop tile.

"Salmon and pasta..." she replied, pulling out of the fridge. "It's my favorite meal...I hope it's fine with you..."

He nodded reassuringly. "I'm not much of a cook, but I can do whatever you need me to help you with."

Kagome smirked teasingly. "You can boil water at least, right?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "I'm not that bad...I've cooked ramen a couple of times.." he returned, looking overly pleased with himself.

She smiled to herself. She liked the way he was now. No inhibitions or clouded words...alone, he was truly a different person. And even- dare she say it- charming?

"What are you smiling about?" he asked, gruffly.

She shook her head lightly, setting out all the ingredients in a line. "OK, first you're going to fill up the pot over there with water..." She pointed to the silver cooking pot that sat on the stove. Inuyasha followed her directions as she instructed him on cooking the long sticks of pasta.

She noted how lost he looked in the middle of a kitchen. Maybe all he ever did cook was ramen....

"So, you know that Miroku and Sango went out together Saturday night?"

Inuyasha grunted in surprise. "Sango? On a date with him? What'd he do- blackmail her into it?"

Kagome giggled. "Something like that....I think they really like each other, though."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "I don't believe it....he's far too much of a pervert for someone like Sango."

Kagome clicked her tongue in disagreement. "I think you'd be surprised, actually...."

"Sango likes perverted guys?!"

The disgusted incredulity in his voice made Kagome laugh aloud. "No, not that. He's just different around those he feels comfortable with. Now, there's no doubt that he certainly is quite the perv..." Inuyasha snorted. "But it's not his entire personality." Kagome slipped out the fish fillets from the refrigerator, setting them on the countertop. "In fact, when I talked to Sango last night, she sounded kind of dreamy..."

Kagome noticed how Inuyasha was staring at the fish as if it were the most perplexing item in the world. "What are we supposed to do with these?" He asked.

"I take it you don't cook much at all, do you?"

She took his silence as a 'yes.'

She produced a small knife from a door beside her, handing it to him. "For now, just cut it into smaller pieces." It looked like the directions had been good enough, as Inuyasha began, almost expertly, paring the pink meat into tiny slices.

Kagome watched his work with a close eye. "And I think Rin has a thing for your brother..." She giggled.

Inuyasha almost dropped the knife. "Sesshomaru?!" His exclamation sounded like a mix between a bark and a laugh.

Kagome laughed at his reaction. "I almost said the same thing when she told me all about it. She thinks he's just so cold because he's shy....like he's some prince charming in disguise, or something.."

"Huh....well, my brother's not exactly a romantic guy, I can tell you that for a fact. I can't remember him ever caring about girls...or guys, for that matter. Anything that doesn't factor into strictly business, is usually not worth the second glance."

"I had gathered that. It's a hero-worship thing, though. I think she might like him even more than she likes the show..."

Inuyasha smirked as he worked on the fish. "You certainly seem to get into this kind of thing..."

She grinned. "I think it's all so romantic though...and, it's such a natural part of life...."

He paused for a moment, and looked straight at her. She raised an eyebrow, silently asking why he had stopped. "...You're right...it is..." She frowned in confusion as he turned to the food once more. For whatever reason, Inuyasha seemed to have reached a conclusion inside his mind.

She shrugged it off, as she noticed some tiny bones sticking out of the fillet. Inuyasha was trying to flick them out with his fingertips, and wasn't getting very far doing so. "No...not like that..." she said, softly. Carefully placing her hand over his hand that held the knife, she demonstrated how to nick fast at the small bones to cause them to slide out.

He flushed slightly, her small hand splaying over his with ease, and her front pressed against his arm. She, very quickly, noticed what she had been doing, and her hand left his immediately. The kitchen was silent for a moment, as Inuyasha began to hurriedly flick at the fish again, and she moved to check the cooking pasta.

Their backs were turned to each other in the small kitchen, though Kagome would have noticed the small smile on Inuyasha's face, had she been still standing next to him. He slowed his work on the food, thoughts racing through his head.

Kagome had commented that romantic thoughts and actions were a natural part of life. He had come here tonight, with memories gnawing at the back of his mind, loyalty to Kikyo pulling at him, and fear of making a fool of himself in front of Kagome. He had truly thought that it wasn't proper of him to let go of his past, and to become closer to Kagome. _But, it feels too right. _

She wasn't, could never be, a replacement for Kikyo.

No matter how much they looked alike, Kagome was Kagome...and something about her was calling him to her.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

**A/N: **So, what'd you think? I know...I know...it's not exactly the most romantic setting....holding hands over.....raw fish. But, real life doesn't make much sense anyway, I suppose. Yay! Inuyasha is opening up some more...trying to let go of those pesky memories! (screw the past!! XD )

Might want to bring some tissues for Chapter 11, called **"Dynasty of Memory." **I'm not done with it yet...but it promises to be somewhat of a tearjerker...

And a note to everyone who asked: Yes, this story will remain at 12 chapters. Why? Cause I planned it out that way. ; ) I outlined it from the start to end at twelve, and that's what I'll write. But, don't worry, if you REALLY want more of my stuff, I have more stories (shameless plug). I'll be coming out with a really exciting/darker fic called "Unforgiven" in a month or so....or you can try out "A Match Made in Heaven"- InuKag goodness all the way!! (end shameless plugging)


	11. Chapter 11: Dynasty of Memory

**DISCLAIMER**: I do not own Inuyasha. 

**A/N:** I'm so sorry about the extremely long wait! I finally got around to finishing up this chapter. I hope you all still have interest in how this ends- one more chapter to go! This one was kind of difficult to write, but I think it turned out nicely. Finally, Inuyasha's past will be revealed….Enjoy it!

**"Shards of Our Memories"**

**Chapter 11: Dynasty of Memory**

"Wow…this tastes really good!"

"You sound so surprised," she quipped dryly. After a mostly uneventful cooking marathon in the kitchen, Kagome and Inuyasha had managed to turn out a good meal. Well, it had actually been Kagome doing most of the work and Inuyasha standing off to the side helplessly.

"Now, if we had made ramen, there wouldn't have been any problem…" Inuyasha smirked over his forkful of pasta.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "There would have been less of a problem, had you tried to learn faster."

Inuyasha looked defeated. "Trust me, you don't want me touching sharp or extremely hot objects. It leads only to disaster." He looked up and saw Kagome's eyes twinkling merrily at him. He colored slightly, suddenly feeling abashed at her open gaze.

She opened her mouth for a second, as if she wanted to say something, and then closed it again like a trap.

Kagome turned her eyes to look at her food, sniffing annoyedly at her own actions. After all, part of the reason she had invited him over was to find out more about him. Was she already losing her nerve to ask him personal questions? Her stomach twisted nervously as a silence fell across the dinner table. The clink of forks radiated in her ears.

"What?" Inuyasha asked, realizing the bluntness of the question the minute it left his mouth. He looked like a confused puppy at her sudden change in attitude. "What did you want to ask me?"

"It was stupid…never mind…" Kagome knew she was a horrible liar, and tonight was only affirming her conviction.

"Alright…" he seemed disappointed, and the spark that had been in their conversation so far that night was dissipating fast. The silence was prolonged even further.

"Who was Kikyo?"

Kagome didn't even know how it happened. The question that she had been dying to ask for months had suddenly tumbled out of her mouth, and there was no way they could pretend it hadn't been asked. But, yet, she didn't feel she could have waited any longer to know the identity of the mystery woman.

The atmosphere of the room froze in some kind of icy mass, and Kagome felt dread rising in her. Now, why did she have to be so stupid? The look on Inuyasha's face told her that they had just made a step in the wrong direction. A first date was not a place to be asking probing questions about dark pasts, and that had become crystal clear to her.

Inuyasha's fork clattered on the wooden table, and she was surprised that he was staring at her. His eyes were hardened, but it was as if they were looking through her to see something that had long since died away. She felt frightened that she could cause any such change in him. Had it really been so long since he'd thought about Kikyo? Were all of those rumors about him true? The scandal? A murder? The cloud on his face told her absolutely nothing.

And then he spoke, his voice stronger and thicker than she had expected. His golden eyes were sharp again, the fog of memory lifted momentarily, and he was staring into her very soul. "I…suppose it's time I told somebody." His sheepish smile was wistful and it made her heart wring.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Sango took each stone stair at a time. Each yank at the wrought-iron handrail matched a heavy step.

Was makeup artistry really supposedly to be this tolling on a body? Of course, Sango normally didn't have to stay this far past sunset to do work, but Kouga had been set on making his monologue perfect. Perfect obviously meant that thirty takes was necessary. He had explained that the daytime soap awards were approaching, and his individual scenes had to be as outstanding as possible.

But, for God's sake, the man was monologue-ing to a mirror! It didn't get much more trivial than that.

_Maybe I just don't understand the nuances of acting. _She smirked wryly to herself.

Either way, he feet ached and her head was sick of diva complaints. Two flights of hard stairs had never seemed like so much any other day. All she cared about at that precise moment was having a nice hot dinner and curling up on the couch with her cat.

Finally, the staircase had been conquered and she trudged up to her apartment door.

Sango's eyes widened in surprise. Right on her doorstep sat a little bouquet of red roses, haloed in the faint light of the hallway fixture. She knelt down, forgetting the fact that the breeze was chilly and that she had promised herself no more distractions from food. A small square envelope was tied to the paper around the bouquet, with a red ribbon. She pulled it off gently, and opened it up to find a small card inside.

Sango colored pleasantly as she read the note, the pain in her feet magically disappeared.

Who knew Miroku could be so sweet?

_"To my dearest Sango- for without you, we would all be lost."_

The message was short, but nevertheless she hugged the bundle of flowers to her chest in happiness. She would have to find a proper way of thanking him later.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Every time Inuyasha looked back on that night three years ago, he remembered so distinctly the emotions he had felt. Despite pain and sadness, there had at first been this overwhelming sense of contentment. Here his life was falling perfectly into place. If all of his cards were played right, the woman of his dreams would be in his arms. His simple worries about paparazzi and the next photo shoot would be laid to rest if only he got this wish. Though it wasn't a little wish- it was something big that filled up his thoughts every waking moment and made him smile when he was alone.

That night would have been the perfect night.

Most clearly his last happy memory of that night was when he was looking in the mirror at himself. He couldn't remember ever being as giddy as then. Inuyasha had pored his eyes over the grin on his face, the perfection of his clothes that had been carefully picked out in advance, and the shine in his own features. He was becoming the man he was born to be, in something as silly and joyous as a crush.

The flowers in the vase on the hall table were bright, almost blood red. They were symbols of love, weren't they? Passion as deep and dark as it could come. Boiling blood and emotion. Flesh. He had bought them especially for the occasion.

And then the night was split by a solitary ring. Was she calling him? Before that moment, phones had just been convenience for communicating.

That single ring was what made him hate the telephone. It was so shrill in his mind that it was a reminder of human suffering.

"Hello?" He had snatched up the phone in a nervous tumble, hoping that it didn't mean Kikyo couldn't keep the date. On the other end of the line was pulsating noise and loud chatter. "Hello?" he repeated, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Inuyasha…." Kaede's voice was choked. "There's been an accident."

Then he was tearing down the sidewalk, his feet pumping against the icy concrete, making thudding noises that rang through the alleyways. Kaede had told him the place, only three blocks from Inuyasha's house. He had wasted no time in slamming down the phone, yanking his coat from the rack and sprinting out into the cool night air. For February, the weather was the coldest it had been in a decade.

Inuyasha didn't find time to think about much as he ran. The sole thought that flew through his mind was that he had to go to where Kikyo was and make sure she was okay. Nothing in this world could stop Kikyo from achieving her goals, but there were obstacles that had slowed her down. He wouldn't let her be hurt.

The red and blue lights of the police cars spun dangerously, bouncing off the sleet on the ground. A huge crowd had gathered, and a cold hush hung on the faces of the watchers. A red fire truck, and an ambulance. Kaede's car. Sesshomaru's car. They were all there. He wrenched his way through the crowd, heedless of the indignant cries that followed.

He looked on and his eyes focused to the crushed vehicle that had overturned. Glass had shot along the street, and her red coupe doors were bent at odd angles.

That's when the rain began to pour.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Inuyasha stopped talking, and the dinner table was quiet again.

When Kagome ever thought of Inuyasha, she pictured him as strong, youthful and brash. Even if he had glimmers of sensitivity and tenderness within him, he was supposed to be able to withstand anything. But, the man before her was so different than the idealized image. He didn't cry- all of his tears had been cried long ago- but his shoulders slumped tiredly, and the shine in his eyes was dulled at the moment.

"I guess it's really my fault it happened…and it's been…so hard to deal with that fact. I miss her so much." His brow tightened.

Kagome was startled out of her frozen despair. "But how could a freak accident be your fault? I thought you said her car slid on the ice! How could you possibly have controlled that…?"

His golden eyes met hers, and he sighed deeply. "It's because she never would have taken that road if it hadn't been for me. I had begged her to come over that night after her rehearsals. I needed to tell her something important! But if I had just waited and not forced her to come so late, all of this wouldn't have happened!" He looked so hopeless that Kagome was at a loss for words.

Her voice shook a little. "What did you need to tell her…?"

His lips twisted in raw irony. "I wanted to ask her to marry me."

Kagome inhaled sharply, the full effect of Inuyasha's involvement with Kikyo hitting her. All the rumors she had heard, from Sango and otherwise, were wrong. Kikyo had not betrayed Inuyasha, she had not been murdered….and they would have been married if not for the accident. She felt her throat constricting in sadness, and a strange pang of envy rising in her. It was a feeling that she didn't like- she was again beginning to feel jealous of a dead woman: she was the reason Inuyasha was staring blankly into space as if Kagome wasn't even in the same room.

"After that, things just got worse. The press had a field day." He snorted bitterly. "Said it was foul play, and that one of the cast mates had obviously sabotaged Kikyo. They wanted to know the intimate details of our relationship- something we had kept completely private. So, I had to abandon the show."

Inuyasha shook himself, hating how all the old memories were cluttering his mind again. He had told himself earlier that he would be able overcome the pain of loss…but meeting Kagome had made everything resurface.

He jumped slightly. Hesitant, cool hands were on his shoulders, commanding his attention. Inuyasha saw that Kagome had left her seat and was now standing in front of him. Her eyes that had always seemed so luscious to him were full with unshed tears of sympathy. It was a jolt to remember that he had just revealed himself to her- and now he responsible for making her feel sad. It was, after all, his pain to bear alone. That's why he had never told anybody the truth behind what had happened.

He tried to turn away from her, but before he could, she had wrapped her arms tightly around his body. His limbs stiffened under the embrace. What was she trying to accomplish by holding him like this?

Within a few moments, he began to relax into the embrace, half of him wanting to let go and just bury himself in her. Why was she being so tender to him? He always asked that question to himself. When had he ever done anything to deserve her?

"I'm sure Kikyo wouldn't want you to blame yourself. What happened has happened, and we can't change the past. The wounds may heal, but they'll never leave you, and that's something we all have to accept." She shut her eyes tight, wishing she could make it all go away if she held him as tight as possible. "And….and I'm sure she loved you back."

Inuyasha's arms circled tightly around her waist, drawing her into him. His face was nestled in her dark hair, and he exhaled shakily.

Maybe if she was here, everything wouldn't be so bad.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

**A/N**: Hope it was worth the wait! Thank you so much for waiting and not getting on my case. The last chapter will be an epilogue. Look for it very soon. 


	12. Chapter 12: One Life to Live

**DISCLAIMER:** ::cue music:: How much is that hanyou in the window? The one with the pointing white ears? No I don't own him… but I'll write all the songs I want about Inuyasha. 

**A/N: **Well- here it is. The final chapter in the story. It's longer than all the other chapters, because I had a lot of ground to cover. I hope the ending satisfies!

**"Shards of Our Memories"**

**Chapter 12: One Life to Live**

The yammering in her ear was unbearable. High-pitched squealing, and indistinguishable words- it almost reminded her of a banshee. Sango screaming excitedly over the phone at her was certainly out-of-character…and might have been more welcome, if in fact Kagome had not just woken up.

She managed a groggily mumbled "Hr…?" into the receiver, her brain still trying to grasp what Sango was saying. It couldn't possibly be more important than sleep, could it?

Sango tried to verbally shake her friend awake. "Didn't you hear the news yet?"

"….News?"

She caught a few scattered words that managed to mobilize her thought process. Something like "award," "TV," "actress," and possibly something about flying porcupines…but that might have just been a trick of Kagome's ear. She sat up slowly, stretching her limbs a little in an effort to wake up fully.

And then she realized what Sango was talking about.

"Oh. My. God."

Kagome promptly dropped the phone.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

They were all in her dressing room when she arrived at the studio- Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, Kouga, Kagura and the production staff. Her mind spun a little as she smiled dizzily. Sango was the first to see her, and immediately tackled her friend in a bear hug.

"I can't believe it! This is what you've always wanted: to be nominated for a Daytime Soap Best Actress Award!" She hugged tighter, and Kagome smiled even through the suffocation. Miroku and Kouga were both grinning at her from across the room.

She looked to the corner, and saw Inuyasha standing alone, his face radiating with inner pride. Even if he wasn't grinning like a fool like everybody else, his eyes were twinkling at her, and she was grateful for it. He had been calming down lately, had let himself be more easygoing with the rest of the cast. And, she saw the soft spot he had for her, every time he looked in her direction.

"Thanks, everyone…" Kagome spoke, meekly. "But, I haven't even won it yet!"

Miroku looked indignant. "Yet! You haven't won it _yet. _But it's only a matter of time until my lovely client gets her dues! You won't forget to mention dear old me in the speech, huh?" He winked at her.

Her eyes were still trained on Inuyasha, and when she smiled, it was directed towards him. "I wouldn't dream of forgetting any of you."

Hiten took a glance at his watch, and his face lit up in surprise. "Hustle, people! It's time to get ready for today's scenes. We're on a tight schedule…" The rest of the cast began to trail grudgingly out of Kagome's dressing room, moving out into the hallway to their own marked doors. Only Sango, Kagome and Inuyasha were left. Sango looked at Kagome and Inuyasha's linked stare, and decided quickly to leave them be for the moment.

Inuyasha sidled carefully over to her, his head tilted so that he was looking down at her. She liked the cool look in his face, like nothing could topple him. When she had seen him break down the week before, she had felt her own heart break along with his. And now, he had changed…was more quiet and less angry….though, when around Kagome, he was as lively as ever.

She smiled up at him, encouragingly. "Was there something you wanted to talk about?"

He nodded contemplatively. "I…I was going to visit Kikyo soon…visit her grave. And, well, I wanted you to come with me. I haven't been since the accident, and I really…I guess…."

Kagome placed a hand on his shoulder. "Yes, Inuyasha I'll go with you. I know it's important to you." She sighed inwardly. Even though she always would feel a pang of jealousy when she thought of Kikyo and her role in Inuyasha's past, she would never try to deny her existence. Kikyo would always be a memory and an emotion in Inuyasha's heart, and Kagome could not change that.

"Thank you, Kagome."

She smiled again. "It's nothing…" It was something, though…and they both felt it deeper than they admitted. It was a huge step in the right direction, and it left them both with warmth in their smiles when Inuyasha left to go to his own dressing room.

Of course, once Kagome was left open, Sango took the opportunity to pounce on her friend. She ushered her over to her dressing table with a motherly air, sitting her on a stool, and placing cool hands on Kagome's shoulders. Her eyes met Kagome through the reflection in the mirror, and a devious smile was secured on her lips. "So, since we haven't been able to have girl talk for quite a while, I think it's about time you spill it!"

Kagome looked teasingly innocent. "Spill what? Everything's quite normal!"

Sango hit her playfully on the shoulder, before darting quickly to shut the dressing room door so they could find confidentiality away from the inquiring minds of the nosy cast. "It's not often you see a man look at a woman the way Inuyasha just looked at you, Kagome."

Kagome raised her eyebrows. "The way he looked at me…?" She was prepared to draw this out as long as possible, if only to use as tools for bartering her way into the truth about Sango's blossoming relationship with her agent.

"His eyes were practically on fire! I wouldn't have been surprised if he had forgotten there were other people in the room and had-"

"OK, OK!" giggled Kagome, finally causing her friend to stop. "I get it. You don't have to say anymore."

"Well…?"

"Well…nothing's official. But, there's something there. He came over to my apartment last week… and, well…I think I like him." She blushed, and Sango had to laugh out loud. It was time Kagome admitted what everyone around her had been able to see.

" 'Not official'?!" Sango scoffed, a wide smile on her face.

Kagome pouted a little, turning to face the dark-haired girl behind her with an inquisitive smile of her own. "So, Rin called me the other day…"

"She did?"

"What was this about Miroku sending three bouquets of flowers to your apartment in the last week, hm?"

Now it was Sango's turn to blush.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Inuyasha rested an ankle on his knee, bouncing it lightly in boredom and impatience. He looked down at his slacks, glaring them as if annoyed that they would dare fold in weird directions when he sat like this. He decided on sitting normally, and now his foot began tapping on the ground.

Where in the blazes was his brother? He swore that Sesshomaru did this on purpose. It seemed that, whenever he could, he found some way of screwing his brother over, or at least piss him off by making him bend to the producer's whims. He leaned forward in the chair that sat opposite Sesshomaru's desk, and began inspecting the paperwork piled neatly on the surface. Well, if he was going to be left to his own devices, he would take no hesitation in snooping.

His fun was promptly ruined as the office door swung open, and his brother, as regal as always, stood in the doorway. He gave Inuyasha a disdainfully dry glare, before gliding over to his desk chair. His long locks stood out magnificently against the dark leather of the chair, making him look like an arrogant ruler of a kingdom, not the leader of a production studio.

"I'm surprised, Inuyasha, that you managed to be here on time. I'm glad you've finally learned some responsibility."

Inuyasha made no effort to conceal the bored glare that he shot back at Sesshomaru. He rolled his eyes, slumping back in the uncomfortable chair. He wouldn't have been surprised if his brother had ordered them made uncomfortable on purpose, if only to unnerve his many guests. "Why am I here? I really have no desire to stay here any longer than I have to."

"Don't worry, I have no desire to _stomach_ you any longer than completely necessary."

"Get on with it then," Inuyasha snarled.

"You have cancer." His brother stated, simply.

"….the hell…?" He looked at Sesshomaru as if he had just put on tap shoes and started doing a jig around the office.

"Your character is going to be dead in…" Sesshomaru leaned over patiently to tip a glance at the schedule on his desk. "Three weeks. We need fresh meat on the set, and we need some angst. You're to shoot your last scene at the end of the month."

Inuyasha blinked for a few seconds, taking in the information, before he responded. "You mean I don't have to work for you anymore?" The smile was growing on his face, and Sesshomaru was looking increasingly annoyed at the joyous expression.

"Yes, yes. Don't overdo yourself, Inuyasha…"

Inuyasha didn't bother to ask any questions, but instead, snickered happily. He wouldn't have to be weighed down by this show any more. And, if they were no longer on the same set anymore, this could mean that he and Kagome could be freer in their relationship.

"Now, just in case you're wondering, I'm not doing this for your sake. I wouldn't dream of it. The network just told me that the female audiences are sick of you." Sesshomaru tried to keep the stare of indifference off his face.

"You're a horrible liar, Sesshomaru."

"Get out of my office this instant, Inuyasha, or I swear that I will fire you right now." The seething glare could have been described as poisonous, but not as a very good cover-up.

Their mutual fierce stares were broken by the sound of Jaken's nasal voice over the intercom on Sesshomaru's phone. "Uh…Sir?"

Sesshomaru's voice rumbled coolly, but angrily into the speaker. "What is it Jaken?"

Jaken squeaked in terror, and Inuyasha could just imagine him screwing up his fleshy face in regret. "There's a phone call I thought you'd like to take…"

Sesshomaru looked as if he would smash the phone. "Who is it, then?"

"Um…Miss Rin says it's important…"

Sesshomaru looked up to see Inuyasha quaking with silent laughter. "Rin….? Are you blushing, Sesshomaru?"

His older brother now couldn't prevent the roar from escaping his mouth. "I said GET OUT!"

Inuyasha closed the door with tears of mirth streaming from his eyes.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Hi, folks! I'm Jim Sciocco, live at the 18th Annual Daytime Soap Awards in Hollywood! It's a beautiful night, and the stars are out- not only in the sky, but also on the red carpet. Some of the biggest actors and actresses from your favorite soaps are all here for the biggest party of the year, including the casts of _Dark and Mysterious Past, Love Octagon, Temptation Calling, _and the newest hit, _Shards of Our Memories._"

As the camera panned around to catch glimpses of the sequins, flashes from the paparazzi, and the cheering fans alongside the red carpet, the announcer took time to adjust his bowtie and pat down his slicked-back mass of black hair. When the camera turned towards him once again, his teeth were glinting in the bright camera light, and his voice boomed into the microphone.

"Now, we have a special guest with us tonight, that so sweetly agreed to speak with us before the ceremony- the beautiful Kagome Higurashi, who stars as Maya Dupri in _Shards of Our Memories._ She's up for Best Actress for her wonderful performance this season. How are you feeling tonight, Kagome?"

Kagome's heart skipped a beat, as the head of the microphone was shoved in her face. She smiled, nervously, hoping that the beads of sweat on her face wouldn't be reflecting the light that shone impossibly bright from the hands of the cameramen.

"Thank you for having me, Jim. I'm feeling nervous, but also very excited!" She bit her lip, praying silently that her dress looked okay.

"So, what are you wearing tonight? It's a beautiful dress."

Kagome breathed out in relief, glad to know the blue, strapless evening gown was a hit. It had taken her and Sango weeks of fighting over material and puzzling over styles to find the right dress. Sango would be glad. "It's a gown by Costoso…" She shakily turned around so that the cameraman could scan the back. She had become used to being in front of a camera, but she wasn't sure if she liked the idea of millions of viewers taking a closer look at her behind.

The announcer nodded in fake appreciation, as if he had never seen a designer dress in his life. Then he glanced a little bit behind Kagome, to the man who stood casually at her side, dark shades blocking the intensity of his bright eyes. "And for the viewers out there who are out of the loop, could you introduce your date?" Now the man was becoming interested, glad he was the first to grab the juicy story.

Kagome grinned widely, continuing her death grip on Inuyasha's arm. It had been half an hour since they had stepped from the limousine, but she had only once let go to twirl for the camera. He had told her what to say, and she shuffled the words to the front of her lips as she leaned against Inuyasha. "This is Inuyasha Tanaka- my costar on _Shards of Our Memories._"

She purposely didn't mention why they were seemingly linked at the hip, and instead continued her dazzling smile. The announcer, not miffed at all, turned his prodding microphone to Inuyasha's lips, as if it were a nosy question of its own. "So, Inuyasha, you weren't nominated for anything tonight. You're a veteran soap star, and you've just received your second big break. Does it hurt not to be recognized? Is the rejection overwhelming?" The man's smile was like wax, and Kagome didn't think it was humanly possible to smile that way for any extended period of time.

Inuyasha's hands were shoved in his pockets, and he stood like a prince who owned the carpet. An unfamiliarly pleasant smile curled on his lips, as he studied the interviewer for a moment. It was impossible to see his eyes. "I don't know, Jim…why don't you tell me? You'd seem like you would know a lot about rejection…"

They left Jim Sciocco standing with microphone held limply in his hand, and a stunned look faltering his plastic smile.

Kagome pressed closer to Inuyasha, resting her chin on his shoulder. "That wasn't very nice, Inuyasha…" but she couldn't help but giggle despite herself. The people in the crowd around them took sidelong glances at the couple, unbeknownst to Inuyasha and Kagome. It was hard to keep eyes away from the stunning sweep of the blue satin gown, contrasting with the sleek suit fitted on a tall, graceful body.

Inuyasha's sunglasses slipped down his nose a little, as his eyes glinted at Kagome's face over the rims. His lips formed a mock pout. "Well, he wasn't very nice!"

She inched her hand to lace her fingers between his. Ignoring the flashes of the cameras around them, they began to weave through the crowd to get to the entrance of the theater where the awards were to be held.

"Besides," he smirked. "I don't care about offending the press anymore. I'm done with that crap. I think since Sesshomaru doesn't need me anymore, I'll become a reclusive and brilliant writer. That way nobody needs pictures of me. I'll uncover the secrets and lies behind the world of TV acting. How does that sound?" He chuckled, folding his dark shades into his breast pocket.

Kagome rolled her eyes playfully. "But that means you'll make me look bad if I ever take you on any more interviews."

Inuyasha shrugged dismissively. "Your fault for dating a rude son-of-a-bitch!"

Kagome punched him lightly in the shoulder. "If I win, you can forget about me thanking you in my speech…" she grumbled.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Kagome would have supposed that becoming an established TV actress would mean that hopefully your mother would take the hint, and stop treating you like her little girl. She had learned very quickly that she was wrong. Even when the newspaper TV critics and the magazines had been praising her for her maturity, her mother was always on the other line with the normal lectures. Today was certainly not an exception.

_"I can't believe it!"_

Kagome gave Inuyasha a stare that told him everything, as they sat in the car together, four days after the awards ceremony. Kagome sighed.

"Well, you're going to have to start believing it sometime, Mother."

_"Best Actress…wow. So where are you going to put the award? On your mantle? Do you mind if I keep it over here to show the visitors?"_

"I don't know where I'm putting it yet, Mama…I really have to go…I'm with Inuyasha right now…"

_"Oh…he's really a handsome boy. So, when are you going to bring him over so I can meet him?"_

Kagome and Inuyasha's eyes were locked together and she giggled, indicating that they were talking about him. "Soon, Mama. It depends when he can do it. I'll have to ask him. Now, I really, _really_ have to go. I'll call you later, OK?"

She hung up the phone quickly, giving Inuyasha an apologetic look. "Sorry."

He chuckled. "It's no problem."

They leaned out and pushed open the car doors, then slammed them shut against the force of the early spring wind. Kagome crossed the front of the car, immediately grasping Inuyasha's hand in hers. They stood still for a moment, watching the breeze blow the leaves in waves across the trimmed lawn of the cemetery.

Kagome looked up at Inuyasha's face, saw how he was steeling himself in the face of the tombstones, and how the orange sunset lit the gold flecks in his eyes. She squeezed his fingers in hers, and he slowly turned to face her, a soft look in his face.

"Are you ready?" She smiled softly.

He nodded, and they stepped together out into the field.

** THE END**

**A/N: **Well, it's over. ::Long sigh of regret:: I just ended my two favorite stories this weekend, and while I'm glad the endings turned out right, I'll miss them. Don't hope for a sequel to this one, though. I've thought about it, and I think I've just about beaten this idea to death already XD

Hope you enjoyed the story! Look out for more stories from me soon (I hope I'll get some good ideas this winter break). I think I'm going to attempt some Kenshin fan fiction, which I have yet to try!


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